Self-esteem issues are a growing problem in current high schoolers. Self-esteem is the way that a person feels towards themselves and whether that feeling is good or bad can have a major impact on their life. Learning to love oneself has the potential to be a difficult and/or lengthy process, and along with everything else that students have to deal with, it can be a lot to manage.

According to Alexandra Delis-Abrams, Ph.D., “Low self-esteem has been linked to violent behavior, school dropout rates, teenage pregnancy, suicide, and low academic achievement.”

Students are negatively impacting their future simply because they have no confidence in themselves. Whether a teen’s low self-esteem is caused by the way that they feel about their appearance or even words that parents/peers say, it is causing them to struggle both personally, socially, and academically. In order for students to lead a more successful life, they must have a solid self-esteem put in place first.

Dr. Shore, a school psychologist, quoted that “Low self-esteem can lessen a student’s desire to learn, her ability to focus, and her willingness to take risks. Positive self-esteem, on the other hand, is one of the building blocks of school success; it provides a firm foundation for learning.”

Education is an important aspect of every individual’s life and is continuing to be detrimentally impacted by low self-esteem.  Students are growing up with unreachable standards in mind that are not only causing themselves harm but also their own education. However, it has been proven that if teens were to be brought up with more “reachable” beauty standards, they would be more likely to thrive in both the present and the future.

Society has brainwashed standards into student’s minds that not even America’s Next Top Model could obtain. High schoolers must be able to see their own worth before being able to excel in anything else. Self-love is something that takes a lot of time and may even cause some pain along the way, but encouraging teens to do it before it is too late is critical. Love yourself!