Is self-criticism good or bad? Self-criticism - an encyclopedia of intellectualization of relationships.

Self-criticism is an integral part of the inner world of a developed personality. This quality has nothing to do with the experience of destructive feelings of guilt and self-criticism. It is, rather, an adequate and objective view of oneself from the outside. Self-criticism allows you to see both your strengths and shortcomings.

Not surprisingly, moderate self-criticism has practical benefits in a variety of areas. In professional activities, self-criticism makes it possible to find more effective ways to achieve results. If we talk about learning, then this quality can be useful in order for a person to make more efforts to obtain the necessary knowledge. Self-criticism helps scientists separate inherently incorrect messages from random errors. Speaking about relationships between people, it is worth noting that people who can adequately evaluate themselves are respectful of the opinions of others and are able to learn something new from those who understand a particular issue better. In family life, self-criticism provides a chance to strengthen the relationship between spouses and lay the foundation for finding a compromise. Those who can evaluate their actions objectively are able to build a strong family.

Self-criticism is highly valued by individuals who cannot be content with only internal harmony, wanting to see their real life achievements. People who have enough internal well-being do not need self-criticism. Modern psychotherapy in no way encourages criticism of oneself. Experts in this field for the most part impose on a person the choice of accepting or not accepting oneself. At the same time, psychotherapists actively instill the idea that self-criticism is a manifestation of non-acceptance of oneself. In many cases, fairly balanced people who are characterized by moderate self-criticism are treated.

WHAT SELF-CRITICISM SHOULD BE

The basic formula for correct self-criticism is the plus-minus-plus scheme. If you did something, then it's good. If you failed, then admit the mistake and do it well next time.

In order to evaluate ourselves correctly, we must have a scale that will be formed based on our beliefs and values. You need the right life positions in order to judge yourself correctly. A reasonable person determines his value system, decides what qualities and character traits he needs, and then engages in self-development in the right direction. At the same time, such a person provides himself with both reasonable criticism and sufficient support. Try to criticize yourself in a way that motivates you to move forward towards success.

You can practice self-criticism out loud. Having reasonable people around will always ensure that your criticism is understood. At the same time, a completely constructive conversation will arise between you, taking place in a friendly direction.

If you have let a person down, you can criticize yourself, which will be a kind of request for forgiveness. A reasonable person, understanding that you admit your mistakes, is unlikely to pursue additional charges. Be careful, however, because a hostile person may use your self-criticism against you. Try to formulate a critical remark so that it relates to this specific situation, without touching upon undesirable points.

THE HARM OF EXCESSIVE SELF-CRITICALITY

It must be remembered that self-criticism is a useful quality that helps a person improve. At the same time, self-criticism should not reach the point of self-criticism, which clearly has negative consequences.

Among the disadvantages of increased self-criticism, it is worth noting the following disadvantages:

It reduces self-esteem and destroys personality;
Self-criticism breeds uncertainty and inaction;
Excessive self-criticism is a quality that others do not like because it turns you into yourself;
Self-criticism gives rise to a pathological feeling of guilt, which is why a person who is characterized by this quality is easy to manipulate;
Excessive self-criticism wastes time and takes away positive emotions;
Self-criticism prevents you from finding the optimal way out of the situation and make the right decisions.

HOW TO GET RID OF EXCESSIVE SELF-CRITICALITY

Understand that negative thoughts are a reflection of habits, not your personality. In order to begin to change old habits, you need to learn to record their manifestation. Write down the self-critical thoughts that come to you. Such notes make it possible to control your thoughts when you feel bad, and also to see how they affect your future condition.

At first glance, recognizing self-critical thoughts is quite simple. However, this is not true. This is especially obvious in those who have come to terms with their low self-esteem, since such people can no longer perceive themselves differently. To begin with, it makes sense to learn to recognize self-critical thoughts and analyze how they affect your life. In most cases, changes in your emotional state are the most reliable indicator that you are overly self-critical.

Start loving yourself, praising your achievements, even if they are insignificant. Praise yourself even for failures and mistakes, because you decided to do something. Try to record in your head any step in the right direction, while giving yourself a sufficient dose of praise to your loved one.

In the case when a person has qualities that he does not like about himself, he should eliminate them if possible, and then continue on his way. What cannot be fixed must be let go. It won't always be easy, but it is necessary.

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When talking about romance, people often talk about madness. “Crazy love”, “reckless actions”, “madness” - it all sounds so cute that people understand something completely different than what is meant in psychological science. If psychology classifies madness as a serious mental disorder, when a person is forcibly isolated from society, then in love madness is considered a clear sign of this feeling.

Madness in love is a complete shutdown of critical thinking, when a person is completely subordinate to his own feelings. At the same time, he does not think about the consequences of his own actions. For example, picking flowers from someone else's flowerbed is a romance for lovers and an unpleasant incident for the owner of the flowerbed, who spent a lot of time and effort on growing them. However, it should be understood that crazy love can very easily develop into absolute hatred. A person does not think, does not think, does not reason, and therefore becomes insane. When he loves, it is pleasant, but in other situations it becomes a dangerous phenomenon for the life and health of people.

What is madness?

Insanity is an outdated name for madness. What is madness? This is a mental pathology that manifests itself in loss of mind. Previously, everyone who thought “differently”, that is, went beyond the norm, morality and accepted rules, was considered crazy. Madness was later attributed to various mental illnesses and disorders, such as suicide or seizures.

Today, insanity is a mental state when a person loses his mind, goes crazy.

If you look at it, it will become clear that almost all people periodically become insane. In simple words, this can be expressed as a state when a person stops thinking, reasoning, thinking, that is, actively participating in the thought process. Going beyond one's own consciousness is called madness, which manifests itself in various forms:

Useful madness. It includes magical, mystical, erotic and poetic madness. Prophets, poets, writers, magicians and other representatives of creative activity, to one degree or another, become madmen - people who succumb to the games of their own minds and the influence of emotions. This also includes visions, delight and ecstasy.
Recklessness. I. Kant divided madness into insanity, insanity and insanity. Madness acted as recklessness, and insanity was expressed in the absence of reason - when the logic of the patient did not correspond to the logic of the healthy.
Melancholy. In the old days, this form of condition was the main one, which positions a person as a creative person. Fine body features and a dead face are signs of a melancholic form of madness.
Hysteria and mania. The opposite of melancholy is mania, when a person becomes active and does not control his own impulses. Hysteria also manifests itself in some form of activity, when a person is capricious, under the influence of emotions and is ready to do anything to achieve his goal.

Madness previously meant many diseases that distinguished a healthy person from a sick person. This could include hallucinations, loss of consciousness after using psychotropic substances, suffering after the death of a loved one, coma, lethargy, epilepsy and other forms that did not fit into the norms of society.

Symptoms of Insanity

Since the concept of "madness" itself is somewhat vague, it is not possible to define clear symptoms of this condition. However, there is one quality that manifests itself in a person - loss of mind. This can happen both to sick people, which manifests itself in frequent reckless actions and words, and to healthy people, which manifests itself in compulsive or obsessive actions.

A person's dwelling on emotions without rational and logical thinking can be described as the main symptom of insanity. Fear, anger, malice, affect, which a person is not able to control, also indicate madness. A person becomes unimportant about the consequences of the actions he commits, without even thinking about their appropriateness and correctness. He aims to satisfy his instinctual needs, where control is absolutely not required.

In a state of madness, a person does not understand where reality is and where his inner experiences are. Reality becomes distorted, which is accompanied not by hallucinations, but rather by illusions.

Insanity may include symptoms such as:

In psychology, madness is divided into three states:

Melancholy, which is expressed in the following symptoms:

Dejection.
Apathy.
Lethargy.
Lack of interest in what is happening.
Mental anguish and torment.
A depressed state of a prolonged nature.

Mania and hysteria. These conditions are expressed in the following symptoms:

Aggression.
Fury.
Excited state.
Impulsive, thoughtless actions.

Madness tends to gradually increase, become more intense and frequent. In cases of serious insanity, mental disorders are observed that are permanent.

Signs of madness

It is not so difficult to identify an insane person - he often commits actions that deviate from social norms, and also adheres to ideas that defy logic. If previously a person was not supposed to deviate from the norms of society, today the one who thinks illogically and is completely under the influence of his own emotions becomes a madman. The first signs of insanity are:

Lack of self-criticism.
Loss of self-control.
Communicating with yourself as if you were having a conversation with another person.
Changes in mood for no apparent reason.

An individual in a state of madness takes active actions. That is why it is divided into useful and harmful. If a person does not harm others, then his madness becomes useful. This could include the amorous acts that young girls dream of, or the creation of poetry. If a person causes harm to other people, then he is treated by psychiatrists, sometimes completely isolated from society.

Creative people of all times can be examples of madness. Going beyond your own consciousness, which is completely subordinate to certain norms and rules, allows you to see the world differently. It is not considered madness if a person sees something that is subject to logical reasoning and can be subjected to analysis and the derivation of theories. However, at first, when a person just puts forward “new” ideas that are not accepted in society, he may seem crazy.

Crazy people with certain mental disorders are considered to be individuals who lose their sense of reality, are irrational in their own judgments, commit actions that cause harm to others, and are also unable to provide for themselves and self-service. They can still be recognized by their facial expression and mood, which does not correspond to the situation.

Causes of madness

The variety of forms of madness does not allow us to identify common causes of its occurrence. Depending on the form, the factors that provoked the mental disorder are considered.

Typically, a mild form of insanity, which can be isolated and even occur in healthy people, manifests itself when a person has formed views and stereotypes that do not correspond to reality. The discrepancy between the internal and external world leads to the conflict in which a person finds himself. Since he rarely accepts reality and does not want to change his views, this leads to periodic commission of wrong actions.

In ancient times, the causes of madness were divided into supernatural and physical.

The supernatural cause of madness is the punishment of a person for sinful acts. It was believed that higher powers punish people through madness. However, he was not always viewed negatively if madmen gave people new knowledge.
Physical causes include various head injuries.

Supernatural causes also include the possession of demons. When a person began to behave in an unnatural way, he was considered possessed, which was also considered madness.

The psychiatric help website psymedcare.ru identifies the cause of insanity as constant frustration and stress. If some situations affect you mentally and morally, disturbing and causing unpleasant feelings (anger, rage, grief), then they can provoke madness. A constant state of stress, in which a person does not see a way out of the situation, provokes mental conflict.

Since the end of the 19th century, the word “mentally ill” was eliminated, since it was determined that the soul was not capable of illness. Modern psychiatrists note the cause of insanity in disorders of the nervous system, where the conductivity of neurotransmitters is distorted.

Treatment of madness

Throughout the centuries, the treatment of insanity has been different. In ancient times, when madness was considered to be possessed by demons, they tried to cure it through spells, holding masses, reading the Bible and other magical manipulations. In the Stone Age, they tried to remove demons by trepanning the skull, when they were believed to be in the head.

In the Middle Ages, madness was attributed to physical illness. Hysteria was considered an exclusively female disease, so it was treated by removing parts of the reproductive system. Thus, hysterectomy (removal of the uterus), lobotomy (removal of a lobe of the brain), circumcision (labia or clitoris) were performed.

Since insanity began to be considered a physical disease, doctors began to look for the source of its occurrence. Various operations were carried out to remove different parts of the body. Naturally, this did not give any improvement, and the doctors thus justified their own incompetence.

Today, madness is treated with medication and therapy. Shock therapy is used in a state of anesthesia, which does not cause harm. At the same time, patients are isolated from society.

Since not every insane person is mentally ill, it is recommended to visit a psychiatrist or psychologist for help. Unresolved internal conflicts and discrepancies between what is desired and what is actually can be eliminated together with a specialist. This will allow a person to get rid of inappropriate behavior and improve their well-being.

Forecast

Madness does not affect life expectancy. The prognosis can worsen only because the person does not receive proper treatment. Madness cannot be treated on its own, since a person can rarely see the painful condition behind him. Help must come from outside.

The result of an incurable disease is complete isolation from society. No one can accept and understand a person. He will gradually isolate himself from people. Often, insane people commit crimes, which allows special institutions to send him for compulsory treatment to a psychiatric hospital.

Living in madness is no fun. The world seems different from what it really is. We can say that all people are a little crazy. However, if a healthy person removes the factors that distort his view of the real world, then the patient continues to believe that his beliefs are true and the world is crazy.

Since everyone goes through education and absorption of social rules and norms, they turn a blind eye to many things. All people are mad simply because their minds are limited. However, a person is healthy if he thinks sensibly and maintains logical thinking. Otherwise, he needs psychiatric help.

Lack of self-criticism is a symptom

Self-criticism is an ability inherent in a mentally mature and developed person, consisting in a reflective perception of one’s own life and personality, an independent search for mistakes made, both in the behavioral and mental spheres. Self-criticism is a sign of mental health when it is expressed within reasonable limits and is relevant to current events, but its excessive manifestations indicate, on the contrary, the presence of mental disorders and are symptoms of psychoneurological disorders.

Self-criticism is not synonymous with self-criticism, self-deprecation and other options that are destructive to self-esteem and based on feelings of guilt and shame. Self-criticism represents a more or less objective point of view of oneself, where both advantages and disadvantages are present and equally evaluated, which can be compared with an outside view.

Judgments of self-criticism are based on a person’s internal beliefs, determined by his values and goals, and only such a correlation of oneself with one’s own preferences is relevant to the concept of self-criticism. Any comparisons and comments about one’s own inconsistency with someone else’s value system indicate a dependent position of the individual, inadequate self-esteem. Inadequate self-esteem (inflated) is evidenced by the absence of self-criticism, which can be justified by a low level of personal development or disturbances in the psycho-emotional sphere (in the manic stage of psychosis, inadequacy of self-perception, as well as the absence of self-criticism, are characteristic).

In different contexts and ways of using this ability, stunning positive results and detrimental consequences for the psyche are possible, since, like any quality, especially inherent in a highly developed personality, self-criticism is only a tool (and the outcome depends on the person) and a litmus test (adequacy and degree of development).

Is self-criticism good or bad?

When faced with this concept and its neutral initial connotation, it is difficult to unambiguously determine whether self-criticism is classified as a negative manifestation or, on the contrary, is a trait that is worth working on to develop. Life encounters those who constantly criticize themselves, at the slightest mistake they begin to complain and blame themselves for everything, humiliating their qualities and devaluing their personality - such people evoke sympathy only the first time, and then the desire to remove this person from your social circle grows incredibly. At the same time, those who themselves notice their mistake admit it, perhaps even scolding themselves in this place, but strive for correction, knowing and noticing their positive, strengths, command respect, such people want to imitate, they conquer with inner courage and strength in recognizing one’s own imperfection.

The benefits of a self-critical attitude are expressed in the ability to increase one’s own effectiveness (discarding ineffective strategies), additional motivation (to correct shortcomings and fill gaps), and the ability to thoroughly analyze the task at hand (taking into account positive and negative aspects, being able to foresee risks). As for areas of interaction, self-critical people are more pleasant to communicate with, due to an adequate assessment of themselves, and, accordingly, a respectful attitude towards others. The ability to objectively assess oneself helps to build longer-term relationships, makes it possible to hear the point of view of another and make compromise decisions in the event of a clash of opinions. The very understanding that everyone is far from unwritten standards gives rise to a calm acceptance of the shortcomings of others, which in turn allows people nearby to breathe freely and be themselves, without trying to conform to the norms.

Self-criticism is a mechanism that allows you to notice your shortcomings and, accordingly, makes it possible to correct them. Even if we are not talking about the presence of serious problems, self-esteem and assessment of one’s abilities, which is close to reality, allows one to notice current ways and areas of self-development and improvement not only of one’s own personality, physical embodiment, but also the quality of life and the contribution made to the surrounding reality.

At the same time, psychological science does not encourage self-criticism as a separate quality, since such behavior brings discord into internal harmony. Ideally, a person accepts himself, rejoices at the successes achieved, and notices his mistakes, draws conclusions and corrects them as much as possible. Those. It is precisely in the form of objective observation of one’s own negative qualities that self-criticism will be useful, but with diligent attention to shortcomings or with prolonged reproach of oneself, we are already talking about self-flagellation.

The shortcomings of self-criticism begin to appear as its level increases, despite the fact that self-criticism is a sign of a harmonious and developed personality; when taken to the maximum, it turns into self-flagellation and self-criticism, which have a destructive and degrading effect on the personality. Among the consequences of excessive self-criticism: decreased self-esteem (and subsequent destruction of personality), uncertainty, apathy, loss of significant social contacts (in large doses, self-criticism alienates others), inability to choose and make decisions, development of pathological feelings of guilt and toxic shame.

You can correct the first manifestations yourself by changing your behavior and focusing on achievements. You can ask friends for help and surround yourself with positive and creative people - mood spreads like a virus, and the habit of praising yourself is picked up from others as easily as special words and phrases. But if the situation is brought to the point of absurdity and a person’s personality is already in the process of destruction, then qualified psychotherapeutic assistance is needed to restore an adequate level of self-esteem, eliminate the consequences of toxins of guilt and shame, and develop new models of independent functioning.

Criticism and self-criticism

Despite the fact that the words critic and self-criticism are perceived by many as obviously negative, there is nothing similar in these concepts. Any criticism is aimed at analyzing and assessing human activity, and has as its goals the identification of errors, contradictions, assessment of authenticity and reliability. Criticism itself and its manifestations can take the forms of fair (when there are real and fair errors, inconsistencies or unreliability) and unfair (when it is accusatory in nature, does not correspond to reality, is associated more with emotions than with factual shortcomings) criticism.

Critical thinking is aimed at analysis (of a situation, a process, a person, an action), without the interference of personal preferences, mood tendencies and the desire to see a certain result. Speaking about a critical perception of the world, we mean the ability to have an adequate view, without rose-colored glasses and the desire to see what we want. This is an ability developed over the years and life experience, which makes it possible to abstract and look at a situation from the outside, noticing both positive and negative sides. If, when evaluating your work, someone expresses only a negative opinion, devaluing your successes, then this is either unfair criticism, the purpose of which is to damage your self-esteem, or a biased assessment of the situation.

Everyone was subjected to critical statements, and both types of this concept. You can perceive critical comments as insults, reacting with aggression or resentment, going into protest or confrontation, or you can cooperate and benefit from the comments, thanking the person for pointing out shortcomings that were not noticed on your own and striving for self-improvement and correction.

Self-criticism works according to the same laws as criticism, with the only difference being that a person criticizes himself, which in some way complicates the possibility of an objective attitude. Self-criticism is a trait of a highly developed personality, on the simple basis that a person who is not guided by the rules of society, who considers his actions and reasoning to be the only correct ones, does not have at least any ability for objective reasoning and impartiality.

The qualities of criticism and self-criticism are equally significant, both at the level of the individual and the entire society. In a particular case, they help to improve, adapt in society, achieve more, and in the universal case, these mechanisms of analysis and search for imperfections contribute to the development and successful existence of the species. The ability to revise previous models of constructing one’s life, in particular models of social institutions, provides opportunities for change, an impetus for new ideas about the world. These are perpetual motion machines (external and internal) that contribute to the development of self-awareness and self-presentation.

But just as excessive self-criticism eats up a person from the inside, criticism received from the outside world can even faster destroy all aspirations and self-understandings of a person, being a serious mechanism of influence that forces a person to doubt his own strengths, abilities, desires (especially cruel and constant criticism, brought people to the point of madness and suicide).

How to help a patient in the absence of self-criticism

Hello. My mother has suffered from manic-depressive psychosis for 12 years. Every year we have problems - she doesn’t really take pills at home, she refuses day care, so in the end, since she’s completely “bad,” we put her in the hospital; I think that the problem is the lack of self-criticism - otherwise it seems to me that everything could have been completely different - just pills and a hospital. He refuses to go to the doctor at the dispensary. The question is will it really happen - we are ready to support everyone (my daughter and her sisters) as long as she takes the pills and doesn’t return to the hospital, but she only insists that she’s fine and we don’t know about her discoveries (the latest in medicine is to drink 3 liters water - all our arguments are rejected, etc.). Now I have another attack - I need to go to the hospital, my heart is bleeding, but what can I do, she refuses to go see her doctor - in principle, he gave us the go-ahead and direction based on his words and after a telephone conversation with her. Please advise a tactic on how to avoid going to the hospital, it is completely reasonable between exacerbations.

Hello! Your question is understandable, but the phrases “everything could have been completely different - just pills and a hospital” and “we are ready to support everyone, as long as she takes pills” are alarming. Let's take it in order. What exactly will be "very different" for you, apart from your mother's location at night? In general, questions arise that are not answered in your letter itself. Can you guess why exactly she always refuses to go to see a doctor? Does she give any reasons? What did doctors say (for so many years!) about the causes of manic-depressive psychosis itself? And how does he behave when he has to go to the hospital? From your letter it can be understood that you live together. So the time she spends in the hospital is the only time she has minimal contact with you? What events occur (again over so many years!) before exacerbations, when the only way out is to go to the hospital? Think about it carefully! Something of the same plan is happening, but only you can remember and find the answer. And also regarding your second phrase “we are ready to support everyone, as long as she takes pills”. What exactly does the word “everything” mean to you? Considering that the person is already elderly and most likely not working, it’s usually all about providing a place to live (I can assume that she legally has the right to live in the apartment she’s in now, so it’s unlikely that anything depends on you here), food and some necessary change of clothes, shoes, hygiene products (for which not such huge amounts of money are spent). Perhaps in your situation you can continue this listing of everything you need. Answer honestly to yourself what else is behind the phrase “if only I take pills and..”. You yourself would like (in the event of even the most common cold) your daughter would have the attitude towards you “as long as she takes pills”. When you yourself are sick with something, what else do you want? It often happens that you just don’t want to drink pills and mixtures, and the most important thing is kindness, affection, attention from loved ones, and not their pressure “take your pills”, “have you taken your pills yet?”, “drink or not” You will never be cured!" etc. External attributes of treatment are, of course, important, but they only relieve the symptoms (or manifestations) of the disease (just until the next time), but do not eradicate or treat the true causes that are “in the head.” You can read more about this, for example, in Sinelnikov’s book “Love your illness.” But that’s not the point; psychologists came to this conclusion long ago. What is important to your mother is, rather, not a conversation with a therapist or another doctor, but with a psychologist, after which, I want to believe, she will want to go to him for a consultation herself. The reasons for diagnoses like hers are largely psychological, the reasons are in the subconscious. And when a person finds them in himself, looks into himself and is not afraid to tell himself this, then the disease also recedes.

Self-criticism (Self-criticism) Self-critical

Self-criticism is the pursuit of perfection.

There is no need to descend into rudeness in self-criticism.

It is necessary to be treated with a strong remedy,

secretive talk comes out!

Take against internal problems

The internal medicine of self-criticism.

Self-criticism (Self-criticism) as a personality quality - ability soberly evaluate your actions and admit mistakes; a tendency to identify shortcomings in one’s work and behavior.

A man came to one master and asked: - What should I do to become wise? The teacher replied: - Go out and stand there. And it was raining outside. And the man was surprised: - How can this help me? But who knows, anything can happen... He left the house and stood there, and the rain poured and poured. The man was completely wet, the water penetrated under his clothes. Ten minutes later he returned and said: “I stood there, what now?” The master asked him: - What happened? While you were standing there, was any revelation given to you? The man answered: - Discovery? I just thought I looked like a fool! The master said: - This is a great discovery! This is the beginning of wisdom! Now you can start. You are on the right road. If you know that you are a fool, then the change has already begun.

“The smartest person, in my opinion, is the one who calls himself a fool at least once a month - an ability now unheard of! – wrote F.M. Dostoevsky.

Personality development is largely built on self-criticism. In order to grow and improve personally, you need to be strict and self-critical of yourself. Criticism towards others should be suppressed, self-criticism towards oneself should be encouraged, without turning into self-flagellation and self-criticism. The result of self-criticism should be some kind of vow, asceticism, self-study, and not fruitless soul-searching and self-abasement.

Negative self-criticism is of no use. Self-criticism for the sake of self-criticism is an action unworthy of reason. It causes only harm, expressed in a blow to self-esteem and the formation of numerous complexes. Self-criticism is good if, with its help, we have diagnosed the manifestation of vicious personality traits in ourselves and begin to actively engage in self-education - cultivating virtues in ourselves, which, when strengthened, neutralize the identified vices. That is, the task of self-criticism is to identify the voice of the vicious qualities of the individual and cover them with developing virtues.

The advantage of self-criticism is that it allows you to look at yourself soberly and without prejudice. After this, a person can look at the world around him without bias. One-sided criticism is always flawed due to its superficiality and saturation with pride. It gives a distorted, illusory vision of the world, generates selfishness and vanity. Francois de La Rochefoucauld wrote: “We scold ourselves only in order to be praised.”

Having developed self-criticism, a person begins to live according to his conscience, and, therefore, sees more purity and beauty in the world. By criticizing oneself within reasonable limits, a person begins to respect others more. The presence of self-criticism is considered a condition for the mental health of an individual. An objective and realistic assessment of your own strengths and weaknesses, strengths and weaknesses is part of healthy self-acceptance.

Psychologists believe that self-criticism is “the ability to take a detached look and evaluate oneself and one’s actions; see your own mistakes and correct them if possible. Self-criticism is an attitude towards one’s thoughts, words and actions without prejudice to one’s own rightness. Self-criticism is a sober assessment of yourself and your actions in various circumstances, it is a combination of intelligence that allows you to see your mistakes and courage that allows you to admit them. Self-criticism is the absence of narcissism in the presence of self-respect. Self-criticism is an active desire for one’s own personal growth.”

Self-criticism is a sign that a person is under the influence of the energy of goodness. People under the influence of the energy of passion and ignorance, as a rule, believe that only they are good, and the rest are a bunch of vices. They scold the world, their environment, look for faults in others, and show dissatisfaction with everyone and everything. A person in goodness sees shortcomings in himself. This is active self-criticism. Correcting yourself, taking into account your mistakes is much easier than changing other people. In other words, a person in goodness engages in active, effective self-criticism, because he sees his own shortcomings and cultivates his virtues. Being influenced by the energy of passion, he criticizes those who are not with him. An ignorant person criticizes everyone indiscriminately. For him, there is only one God - himself.

Reasonable self-criticism is an honest admission of one’s shortcomings. Self-criticism should in no way be associated with an inferiority complex and destructive feelings of guilt. Complexity is the result of stupid self-criticism. Professor Melanie Fennell writes: “Distressed people label themselves as ‘stupid’, ‘incompetent’, ‘unattractive’, ‘a good-for-nothing mother’) because of any difficulty or failure. This attitude towards oneself provokes a complete disregard for positive qualities. As a result, a person sees himself only from one side. Hence the excessive self-criticism.”

Self-criticism in friendship with reason is a sign of a spiritually developed personality. When a person humbly tunes in not to his own self-justifications and self-deception, but to the energy of his spiritual mentor, he finds an explanation for his behavior, and what it should be, and not what he wants. Realizing his lewdness, he begins to repent. That is, self-criticism is implemented correctly if a person has the right attitude - without resentment, pride and stupidity. Self-criticism is effective as long as a person believes in himself. Without self-belief, it turns into self-crushing, self-destruction.

Self-criticism is the ability of developed, mature and holistic people. A person who is unable to admit that he is wrong somewhere is disabled by self-criticism. That is, he is not capable of introspection, self-research, self-criticism. A mature person looks at the world calmly and benevolently, does not encroach on anyone, does not try to pressure, change, or teach anyone.

A truly self-critical person understands that he is not perfect, that, like everyone else, he has shortcomings in manifested or unmanifested form, therefore, by accepting himself, he allows himself to be imperfect, while doing everything possible to level out his disadvantages with nurtured and carefully nurtured virtues.

Self-criticism should not cripple a person. If, by criticizing himself, a person experiences stress, tramples his self-esteem and creeps into depression, it means that he is not engaged in self-criticism, but in self-destruction, which means that he has been attacked by idealizations and various excesses, extremes and excesses. Correct self-criticism pushes a person to move further in terms of personal growth. You cannot look at yourself self-critically and feel disrespect for yourself. The poet Igor Guberman wrote in this regard:

Handsome, smart, slightly stooped,

Yesterday I looked into myself

And he left in disgust.

A young writer once told Mark Twain that he was losing confidence in his writing talent. -Have you ever had such sensations? - asked the writer. “Yes,” Twain replied. - One day, when I had been writing for fifteen years, I suddenly realized that I was absolutely mediocre. - And what did you do? Have you given up writing? - How could I? By that time I was already famous.

Man's mania

Human mania in most cases is characterized by excessive cheerfulness, increased physical activity, and accelerated speech and movements. All these characteristics do not correspond to real events occurring in a person’s life. A mild form of mania is called hypomania. Throughout the entire life cycle, a person may experience only depressive phases, the so-called depressive disorder, and an alternation of depressive and manic episodes, and only manic phases with intermissions between them. The presence of only manic episodes with intermissions is called manic-depressive psychosis.

People who suffer only from manic episodes experience mild depressive states, which manifest themselves as decreased activity. However, even while in a depressive phase, a person shows increased activity and accelerated speech for several days. Human hypomania and mania are not as common as depression. Therefore, most patients do not know that they have the disease, seeking medical help only when they are depressed. When making a diagnosis, the doctor first of all excludes a somatic illness that may be the cause of the disorder.

Symptoms of a person's mania develop quite quickly, usually within a few days. In the early stages of mania, which is characterized by its moderation, the patient is in a better mood than usual, looking brighter, younger and full of energy. The person is in a state of euphoria, but can be picky and irritable. Sometimes there are cases of outright hostility and aggression towards other people. At the same time, the patient believes that he is completely fine. Lack of self-criticism leads to a person becoming tactless, impatient and intrusive. Any attempt to influence him only causes flashes of irritability.

At the same time, the patient’s mental activity increases, contributing to the emergence of a condition called “leap of ideas.” A person is easily distracted and very often jumps from one topic to another when talking with an interlocutor. Sometimes there are false, greatly exaggerated ideas of the patient regarding his financial situation, social significance, abilities, both mental and physical, and his own ingenuity. Exaggerating the scale of one’s own personality can lead to the fact that the patient begins to imagine himself as God himself.

When a person falls ill with mania, the patient believes that some people are either helping him or they are persecuting him. Sometimes auditory or visual hallucinations occur, illusions that do not actually exist. A person's need for sleep decreases. The patient takes an active part in various fields of activity, including dangerous business and gambling. Such a person's sexual behavior may have risky consequences. However, with all this, the patient does not feel the danger awaiting him that such a lifestyle could entail.

In the most severe cases of the disease, physical and mental activity becomes so high that any connection between behavior and mood is lost, which leads to meaningless agitation, the so-called delirious mania of a person. Such a case requires immediate medical intervention, because If left untreated, a person may die from physical exhaustion. In less severe cases of mania, hospitalization may be necessary to protect both the patient and his family from devastating financial and sexual ruin.

Diagnosis is made based on symptoms that are obvious to the observer. However, doctors need to interview the patient’s family members, because A patient suffering from mania, in most cases, denies the presence of pain. If left untreated, a person's manic episodes end abruptly. The duration of the episodes does not exceed several months. Hypomania is treated on an outpatient basis or in a day hospital. Episodes of mania are treated only in a hospital.

Self-criticism. How to understand that there is a problem with this

I would like to find out if there are any methods for determining the level of self-criticism

Do you really want to know the level of self-criticism? You are interested in the level of self-esteem. If, nevertheless, your interest lies in the plane of self-criticism, then please clarify why you need this?

Good afternoon. I would like to find out if there are any methods for determining the level of self-criticism.

I would like to find out if there are any methods for determining the level of self-criticism. How can you find out that there are problems in this area?

How can you find out that there are problems in this area?

Do you analyze your actions? If the result of your actions or relationships with other people does not suit you, are you able to identify a mistake and, if you made a mistake, do you admit it and correct it?

Are there any methods for determining the level of self-criticism?

that according to a loved one,

How can you find out that there are problems in this area?

The fact is that, according to a loved one, I have the opposite problem - a lack of self-criticism. He claims that I should always be right in everything, that I am not able to assess some situations adequately and admit my guilt. I would like to understand if this is really the case.

Psychologist, Supervisor, Online psychotherapy supervision

Psychologist, Consultant Clinical Psychologist

According to a close person, I have the opposite problem - lack of self-criticism. He claims that I should always be right in everything, that I am not able to assess some situations adequately and admit my guilt.

The problem of lack of self-criticism only comes up in my relationship with this person. I find a common language with other people quite easily, but I don’t have other relationships that are so close where I could be guilty, so I have nothing to compare with. Conflicts with this person arise over trifles; he usually greatly exaggerates them and, instead of discussing the current situation, gets personal. I, in turn, try to defend myself, and this leads to him claiming a lack of self-criticism. I wrote it in a complicated way, but I hope it’s clear.

Do you have any complaints against this person?

Can you give an example of "to be at fault"?

Love, family, life - X factor

Self-criticism and criticism of the environment - ways of adequacy and human development

General concepts about criticism and self-criticism

Criticism - condemnation of surrounding people and things - expressed dissatisfaction with them. Self-criticism is criticism of oneself as a whole, or of some of one’s properties or actions.

This is, in fact, a manifestation of a critical attitude, a critical look at the surrounding reality.

Literally: searching, looking out for certain shortcomings, imperfections, in objects around, and in oneself as a subject.

And a person’s self-criticism, as an object for others: I’m bad in some way - I don’t suit other people.

Or, sometimes, a critical look at oneself, even in relation to other living creatures. Like all sorts of sentiments about love for “little brothers” - “dogs, cats”, and so on.

Or, simply, regarding the circumstances of life. Or in philosophical terms: regarding the world as such.

In general, look at yourself critically - engage in self-criticism, you can do it in relation to anything or anyone. Just like you can criticize anything and anyone.

Which, in itself, suggests that self-criticism and criticism is one of the possible ways of human life. Possible, but not required.

Criticism and self-criticism, from life observations

Simple observations of people show, moreover, clearly:

Criticism and self-criticism are inherent only in some part of people;

Criticism is not always accompanied by self-criticism. Most people turn criticism outside themselves - they criticize others.

Moreover, by criticizing others and other things, they put a barrier to criticism of themselves, including self-criticism.

Criticism and self-criticism are not only the essential characteristics of a person’s personality. But also the ways of human life.

For criticism or its absence gives rise to completely different relationships with the world around a person, first of all, with people.

And self-criticism, or the lack thereof, gives rise to completely different types, personality types.

From a narcissistic, stupid “peacock” to a wise, decent person.

Moreover, criticism and self-criticism, if they become dominant in personality manifestations, are associated with human mental pathologies.

It is obvious, for example, that a person devoid of self-criticism not only cannot behave adequately towards people and things.

But also: this can be both a consequence and a cause of mental inadequacy - psychopathy, in the broadest sense.

And criticism of everyone and everything, for example, easily turns into paranoia, to one degree or another, or is its consequence.

Why self-criticism and criticism are a manifestation of human adequacy

Here, no special theory is needed: let's reason purely on an existential level. If a person is deprived of self-criticism, then the properties of his personality and his behavior will be as follows:

I am always good and always wealthy in everything.

Therefore, if I have problems in my life, then someone is to blame.

This someone is not a good person and is wrong, understanding everything and everyone in the wrong way. “As it should be,” naturally, in the ideas of a person devoid of self-criticism.

My idea, no matter what, is the only true and correct one.

For it is not subject to doubt - criticism from outside and self-criticism. Also, the views of those people who coincide with mine are not subject to doubt or criticism.

Can such a worldview and, accordingly, such human behavior be adequate?

Here, already, we cannot do without some theory - even in the form of simple logical conclusions.

And the provisions - the reasoning here are simple:

If a person is devoid of self-criticism, then he proceeds from the fact that he is always right - his views on the environment are correct;

By this, by considering oneself as the point of the only true reference of truth, a person plunges himself into complete subjectivism.

That is, for him, the only criterion of truth is ONLY his views and ideas.

Perhaps this is a good thing: individual consciousness. In comparison, for example, with the mass consciousness of a crowd or herd.

BUT, man, by definition - both by origin and in essence, is a social being. Which means:

A person cannot be adequate without self-criticism

Without criticizing oneself - without engaging in self-criticism, a person cannot adapt socially - cannot be adequate in the near and distant society. Because it is obvious that:

Without a critical look at himself, he, a person, is deprived of comparing himself with the people around him.

He is deprived of adequate socialization, by definition: for self-criticism is a critical attitude towards oneself in the process of relationships with other people.

That is, without perceiving himself critically, a person cannot evaluate himself in relation to other people.

He, or recognizes himself as the same as them. Or he considers himself better than them, everywhere and in everything.

Which is fraught, in the first case, with adherence to mass consciousness, without critical understanding of it.

In other words, a person becomes a sheep of a certain herd: a society of which he feels himself a member, without criticism of him and other people who belong to him.

And, therefore, he, this person, is not subject to self-criticism: What am I!? I am like everyone else! And from here:

If there is no criticism of the surrounding close people - your society.

If there is no self-criticism, because: I am the same as the members of MY respected and revered society.

Moreover, they, members of this society, do not criticize a member of their society if he fits into their norms and rules. Because for them he is like them - naturally, good and loved.

That is, in the understanding of such a person: Everything - what and who is outside the framework of me and my society, something that is not like that - is subject to criticism.

That is: I criticize everyone and everything, but not myself and my spiritually close people - this is the way of life of a significant part of people who are deprived of a critical look at themselves and their CLOSE environment.

Not a formally close environment, but, namely, a spiritually close one, actually recognized by one’s own, native environment.

Self-criticism and human self-awareness

Self-criticism itself or its absence are the most important properties and factors of personality, its existence - formation and development. And here's why:

1. Everything around a person changes, including himself - his life, in all aspects.

Consciousness, with its core - self-awareness, in order to adequately reflect this changing life, must change, reflecting ever new realities.

How is this possible?

Only by looking critically at the “outdated” life and at oneself in it. Criticism and self-criticism are a way to move away from your previous ideas about the world and yourself in it.

That is, by criticizing something in the world and himself in it, a person rejects his old knowledge - theory and experience. As outdated, imperfect, incorrect or false - inadequate to the new state of affairs and man’s new ideas about them.

2. Self-criticism, literally, does not allow a person to “rest on the laurels” of existing self-awareness.

Like how this happens with people who are deprived of self-criticism: Look, I’m so good, right, correct, and so on, in that spirit.

Self-criticism generates and feeds doubts in the self-awareness of the “worm”: Am I really that good, right, understanding - and other critical attitudes towards oneself and one’s life.

Self-criticism and criticism: extremes are also inadequacy

Any extremes inevitably lead to a violation of the measure of any essence. And then, she inevitably becomes her opposite. Popularly, this dialectical law is expressed as follows, for example:

The road to hell is paved with good intentions (when there are too many of them);

Too good is also bad.

Obviously, when criticism and (or) self-criticism begin to dominate in a person’s consciousness and self-awareness, and manifest themselves in his personality, then we have a situation of inadequacy.

In fact, by criticizing everything and everyone - painting the world as completely negative, a person stops seeing it as it is.

For it is obvious that since our world exists, and we are in it, it cannot only be negative.

Moreover, the idea is true that: “The world (for now) is ruled by Good.” For when Evil begins to rule, the “world will turn upside down” - it will become completely different - the opposite of what exists.

It’s the same with self-criticism: if a person gets bogged down in self-criticism, his consciousness and self-awareness, first of all, will cease to be adequate.

For, even in the worst person, there is something good - there is something human. If this human does not exist at all, then this is an animal - a completely different entity.

That is, an adequate, socially adapted personality has the properties of criticism and self-criticism, literally, “within reasonable limits.”

No criticism or self-criticism is bad. Too much criticism and self-criticism, too, is not good.

How do you understand what criticism and self-criticism are in the realities of human life?

4 comments

A person devoid of self-criticism is, to say the least, a strange person. But this is rare. More often than not, he is an idiot or a psychopath.

I agree, it is! And the absence of self-criticism is the first and surest sign of a person’s inadequacy. It’s better not to have a relationship with such people, not at all.

A person who criticizes others must also be critical of himself.

Criticism and self-criticism are, first of all, an attitude towards the environment and towards oneself. And they are in a rather complex relationship.

For example, you can criticize someone precisely in order to whitewash yourself - not to be self-critical.

The difficulty in understanding criticism and self-criticism is made not only by the fact that they are, in essence, subjective - “everyone judges from his own bell tower,” including himself.

But also the fact that, like almost all human activities, they are based not on an intellectual-reasonable basis, but on sensory-emotional assessments of what is happening in reality.

In my opinion, in purely existential, everyday life - “without making any special theories”, a normal person needs to CONSTANTLY question the CORRECTNESS of thoughts and actions, both of himself and those around him.

This, in fact, is criticism and self-criticism - a critical look at oneself and at others.

Which will not allow a person to get bogged down either in subjectivism, or in mistakes, or in illusions, in assessments of himself and others, including, above all, people.

And not how we are used to understanding these phenomena: excuse me, I slander others - this is criticism, calling myself a fool - self-criticism.

That is, criticism, and even more so self-criticism, is, first of all, an INTERNAL process of spiritual activity and human development.

And not his posing-acting in front of others and himself, with the goal of portraying, and not actually being, a “fighter for the crystal purity of hearts and morals.” Or feel something like a “repentant sinner”. And the like.

Please note that, as in all their life manifestations, people here also portray and act more - they create themselves and those around them, according to their mind and feelings. And they do not treat realities, including themselves, as objective reality - as it is, apart from him, man, understanding.

The understanding is, as a rule, incorrect, distorted and false. Which allows you to somehow live and exist, but not be a full-fledged bearer of reason.

2 comments 08/05/17

Excessive self-criticism is associated with low self-esteem and perfectionism. In the case of low self-esteem, it is not always possible to determine what is primary here: excessive self-criticism, which leads to a decrease in self-esteem, or low self-esteem is accompanied by excessive demands on oneself. Most likely, a vicious circle is forming here: self-criticism-self-esteem-self-criticism again, and so on until a complete loss of self-confidence.

Often we don’t even notice it, despite the fact that the damage we cause to ourselves is colossal. So, by what signs can we guess that we are unfairly and undeservedly criticizing ourselves? In this article I will answer this question based on my professional observations.

The habit of blaming only yourself for any troubles

You are a very, simply “hyper-responsible” person, and therefore you are in a hurry to take full responsibility for any troubles, including bad weather, that happen around you, even when it is not your fault at all. This is the most common type of self-critical person I encounter in my work.

Instead of analyzing mistakes, evaluate yourself

Even if there was trouble, instead of thinking about what wrong actions you took in order to avoid mistakes next time, you begin to criticize yourself as a person, without being shy in your assessments. Your own opinion of you decreases, self-confidence is lost, which automatically increases the likelihood of mistakes in the future.

Always try to avoid risk when making decisions

It's the fear of failure. Not only is failure unpleasant in itself, but you will accompany it with such a heap of self-criticism! How difficult it will be later to reconstruct the destroyed self-esteem from fragments! It’s easier not to take risks, everything is fine, and your self-esteem is fine, only to what extent such a strategy limits your capabilities!

Avoid expressing your opinion openly

It always seems to you that other people are better informed than you, they have higher qualifications and they have every right to express their opinion. You do not find your own opinion authoritative, qualified, or worthy of attention; you are, without a doubt, a person prone to self-criticism.

You are not satisfied with the results - this also indicates excessive self-criticism

Whatever you do, you always later discover shortcomings, which gives you the internal right not to do anything - since you don’t know how to do it well, you shouldn’t take it on. But even if successful, you focus more on the shortcomings.

You have extremely high demands and are demanding of yourself.

You sincerely believe that it is impossible to be happy if you are not very rich, not very smart, beautiful and super creative - so that there is not even a reason for self-criticism. These standards cannot be translated into reality, as faith in one’s capabilities is undermined - here is another example of a self-critical approach.

You have increased anxiety

You always keep negative scenarios in your head about what will happen if something goes wrong, especially unpleasant are the expectations of personal failure or even insults that you think you foresee. Such anxiety can also be an example of excessive self-criticism.

Never ask for help

Asking someone for help is a serious test for you, then in your own eyes you will look weak or inept, although there is nothing reprehensible in this - you just need help, but as a self-critical person, you immediately give yourself a bad rating.

Avoid insisting on your wants and needs

Self-critical people often fear rejection. Yes, there is always a chance of refusal when you state your demands, this is life and this is normal. However, an overly self-critical person is so convinced of the expected refusal that he accepts it in advance and does not even try to insist on anything.

As a child, you were chronically criticized by your parents or mentors

As a child, did you experience completely negative criticism from one or both parents? Then perhaps you are simply continuing your internal dialogue in the same negative, blaming manner. It doesn’t even occur to you that there is anything wrong or unfair about this - because it has always been like this.

You continue to analyze your mistakes again and again

How often do you go over the mistakes you've made? You spend a huge amount of time and effort trying to analyze them, fail again mentally, and punish yourself with self-criticism.

You are not inclined to forgive anyone

Forgiving yourself and others requires relaxing criticism and self-criticism. Once you are stuck in it, it is no longer possible to let go of the offense or frustration so easily. But even so, you are more willing to forgive others than your own failures.

Don't give yourself compliments and can't accept them from others

You see no reason to say - but I was good in this situation! When you are praised, there is no feeling that the praise is deserved. On the contrary, you are clearly prone to self-deprecation. These are signs of chronic self-criticism.

See everything in black and white

For you there are only extreme values, you are prone to extreme judgments, everything is either good or bad. Having set absolute ideals, you ignore intermediate results and deprive yourself of satisfaction from small but achievements.

In life, your successes chronically lag behind your capabilities

A classic sign of excessive self-criticism. After years of tireless work, effort and suffering, you may be disappointed by how much less success you had expected. The tendency to self-flagellation lies on the path of your success in life, this strategy needs to be radically reconsidered.

The nature of self-criticism

Unfortunately, for self-critical people this is such a cozy and lived-in psychological environment - starting from childhood, when there was a continuous stream of criticism from parents and teachers. Such emotional coloring becomes familiar and is perceived as normal. Even worse, self-criticism gradually becomes automatic. To stop this destructive flow, we need a long and conscious study of all the mechanisms of self-criticism and getting rid of it.

Hello, dear readers of my blog! Sometimes doubting yourself is not so bad; it allows you to evaluate your actions, decide what can be changed for the better, and what should be abandoned. Self-criticism can be both a useful tool and a destructive one. What does this depend on? How to learn to sensibly evaluate yourself and understand: is self-criticism good or bad?

Understanding the concepts

Since self-criticism directly depends on self-esteem, I recommend that you pay attention to the book by Tomas Chamorro-Premuzic “ Self-confidence, how to increase self-esteem, overcome fear and doubts».

As in any issue, here we have three sides: self-criticism, healthy self-criticism and narcissism. All these concepts are related to the attitude towards oneself and one’s actions. When a person is too much, this is reflected in his behavior, communication with others, his work and personal relationships. The same can be said about a person who underestimates himself.

Healthy self-criticism is a person’s ability to realistically and reliably evaluate their achievements, see successes and work on mistakes and failures. Such a mechanism will only help in self-improvement. Many people believe that self-criticism hinders a person. But if it is rational and correct, then on the contrary, it only helps.

But its complete absence or excessive self-criticism actually causes serious damage to a person’s mental health. Let's look at the two sides of this coin in more detail.

Self-criticism

Criticism can apply to appearance, character, work, behavior. Everything falls under the strict censorship of this critic. Sometimes such people engage in self-criticism even out of nowhere. Simply because it has already become a habit of constantly poisoning yourself.

Moreover, in such people one can often notice an unreasonable feeling of guilt. You can learn about this in detail from my article “”. As a result, such people are forced to do something that they do not want at all.

Next, you need to learn to see something good and positive in yourself. You can ask friends and family to write about your most outstanding qualities. Believe me, getting an outside perspective can be very useful. Think for yourself what you do well, what you like to do, what you feel your strength in.

If you are unable to cope on your own, then you should not give up. You can seek help from a psychologist or go to psychological training. There you will meet people who have similar problems. Often complete strangers who are in a similar situation help us resolve our internal conflicts.

Narcissism

As you may have guessed, the other side of the coin is narcissism. Such a person, on the contrary, practically does not hear the quiet voice of his inner critic at all. He does everything right, he does everything well and he’s great at everything. This happens in people with high self-esteem, which is also not good.

What is the main sign? Complete indifference to other people's opinions. Such a person does not listen to advice, does not take anything personally, except praise, of course. He doesn't care about the feelings and emotions of others.

Of course there is some positive side. Such a person is confident in himself, he boldly moves forward, does not believe in his defeat, he is decisive and punchy. This is often combined with impudence and bravado.

And if a person is confident in himself and as a result, then most likely he will achieve success. Where can we most often meet such people? In high positions, in politics, in show business.

Golden mean

Many people believe that being overly confident is much better than constantly doubting yourself. But there is no definite answer here. After all, narcissism also has its pitfalls.

For example, when a person has too good an opinion of himself, he may at one point stop developing and do nothing more, because he already believes that he is already too good. A person who doubts himself, on the contrary, can continue to try to become better.

In any case, you should always try to search. You will have to make an effort to acquire healthy self-esteem and, as a result, learn to work correctly with your inner critic, because this is an extremely useful quality for any person.

Try to pay attention to success more often, and if a failure occurs, then calmly and without unnecessary negative emotions accept responsibility, think about what went wrong and how to avoid it in the future.

Never stop. If you have reached the maximum in one thing, find something new and interesting for yourself in which you can still achieve success.

Self-criticism is neither bad nor good. It is a tool that you must learn to use to your advantage.

Do you have problems with self-esteem? What actions do you most often criticize? Do others criticize you?

Love yourself, look for your strengths and weaknesses and work on yourself.
Good luck to you!

Hello friends! In this article I want to discuss the concept of self-criticism, its importance in a person’s life, as well as its impact on one’s future destiny. We will look at what positive aspects it brings to human life, as well as how it can destroy many aspects of the psyche, relationships and development opportunities.

What is self-criticism?

Self-criticism is a personal quality that allows you to evaluate your own actions and motives from an objective and unbiased perspective. This is the trait through which a person can find shortcomings in his own work and character traits, in behavior and relationships with people.

Criticism towards oneself necessarily includes self-esteem, without arrogance and narcissism. Being in these two positions at the same time, a person is able not to be angry with the entire outside world and make timely attempts to change. Other people's comments are received with gratitude. A person is able to listen to the advice of others, even if it is given from an edifying position.

By comparison, someone who is not open to criticism of their actions and personality will perceive comments with anger, trying to attack in response or defend themselves. In many ways, the ability to be critical is explained by the level of self-acceptance and the ability to put up with the imperfections of the world. It is not an innate and stable characteristic, but rather a consequence of upbringing.

If desired, each person is able to adjust the level of criticality of the inner view. This can happen after significant events, changes, or as a result of targeted work together with a psychotherapist.

How to relate to this concept and what to do with your own level of criticism - everyone decides for themselves. To make the right decision, I recommend carefully studying the positive and negative aspects of the influence of self-criticism on a person’s life.

The positive aspects of self-criticism

For a mature person, critical remarks are the norm. They bring only positive changes, even if the initial feelings are unpleasant. It’s absolutely normal to be upset by the realization that somewhere the level of knowledge does not correspond or the work was done poorly. But it is the understanding and analysis of one’s actions that provide the opportunity for self-improvement.

Self-criticism should work to develop the individual and eliminate shortcomings, help develop the ability to see one’s weaknesses in time and form a different position.

Ideally, criticism directed at oneself helps to realistically assess the situation. Those. a quality that is initially positioned as an assessment of one’s own condition ultimately leads to the ability to evaluate others.

A person who is able to adequately understand his condition can objectively evaluate those around him, which helps build quality connections. And those who consider themselves the smartest and most beautiful (in the absence of self-criticism) or unworthy and ugly (in the absence of self-criticism) ultimately cannot adequately assess the situation in the real world.

Thus, a healthy critical and even slightly ironic attitude towards oneself ensures good socialization. It helps to see the paths of necessary development.

Healthy self-criticism should lead to:

increasing the level of personal responsibility (for future fate and decision-making in current situations);
taking upon oneself certain restrictions and austerities related to the elimination of harmful habits and actions (applies to situations when a person commits unnecessary actions);
implementation of a new activity, the goal of which is further development (applies to situations when the necessary actions are not performed).

In all options, actions are required that change the person himself and his reality, his attitude towards the world. If a person only talks about his own unworthiness and depravity, without making attempts to turn the situation in his favor, then this state is called self-criticism or self-flagellation.

The purpose of such empty talk may be to elicit sympathy from others. Such a desire to get help or to plunge into sad experiences.

If changes do not occur, self-criticism ceases to be a useful quality for the individual and begins to manifest itself from the negative side.

How can self-criticism interfere with life and fulfillment?

It is good if a person can not only see his own shortcomings, but also direct them into a positive direction of change. But remember yourself when your reproaches did not turn into changes.

Examples of destructive self-criticism:

Constantly scold yourself for lack of willpower and excess weight, continuing to eat kilos of cakes.
Fail to prove your professional incompetence, while refusing to take advanced training courses.
Reproach yourself for the lack of interest in yourself from others, while being rude and committing bad acts towards people.

Such examples show how excessive self-criticism without a vector of effective activity can be introduced into our lives. Moreover, the consequences of such behavior can be quite serious for the individual and the psyche as a whole.

Common violations due to an increased level of criticality may include:

decreased self-esteem;
development ;
increased internal anxiety;
problems in building social connections;
lack of professional and creative realization;
general personality degradation (in the most severe and prolonged cases).

Being exclusively a habit of building one’s own thoughts, self-criticism can distance a person from realizing his goals. Anyone who constantly scolds himself and considers himself a failure is unlikely to try his hand at a new project. Those who consider themselves ugly rarely approach people to meet people, thereby taking away a lot of opportunities from their lives.

In addition, it is worth remembering that people treat us the way we allow. This means that the more a person talks about his shortcomings, the more they will be seen in him. For comparison, look at those who constantly talk about their luck, professionalism and other advantages - objectively they may be the same as those of the person criticizing himself, but in the eyes of others, one will be a loser, and the other a winner. The strong tendency to exaggerate shortcomings ends up making them real.

Conclusion

As you can see from what has been described, the lack of self-criticism, as well as its excessive manifestation, can lead to disastrous results. The benefit and degree are determined by each person independently relative to the situation and internal sense of self. The main thing is to focus on the possibility of transforming the ability to notice shortcomings into the ability to correct them.

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The material was prepared by Yulia Gintsevich.