In psychology, self-esteem or self-worth is a person's self-image at an emotional level; circumventing reason and logic. The term differs from ego in that the ego is a more artificial aspect; one can remain highly egotistical, while underneath have very low self-esteem. The maintenance of a healthy degree of self-esteem is a central task within psychotherapy, where patients often suffer from excess degrees of self-criticism, hampering their ability to function.

Much debate about self-esteem centres on the definition of the term. New Age thought can provide self-serving views of the concept; other views can discount the existence or merely the usefulness of the idea.

Compare hubris, narcissism,

See also Adam Smith (self-love as an economic motivation).

External links

• PSY: NYT: Deflating Self-Esteem's Role in Society's Ills (http://www.wetheliving.com/pipermail/psychology/2002-October/000195.html)
• Counseling To Enhance Self-Esteem (http://www.ericdigests.org/pre-9219/self.htm)
• Self-Esteem and Narcissism: Implications for Practice (http://www.ericdigests.org/1993/esteem.htm)
• A Buddhist View on Lack of Self-confidence (http://buddhism.kalachakranet.org/self-confidence.html)
• Article on self-esteem from NLP Weekly (http://www.nlpweekly.com/index.php?p=71)