How healthy is your self-esteem? Take the quiz

Self-esteem is an essential component of overall mental health and well-being. It influences how we show up in relationships, perform at work, make decisions, and respond to life’s challenges. Our self-esteem test can help you recognize how you feel about yourself and take steps to improve it if you desire to do so. 

If you have low self-esteem, you can improve it over time. Working with a qualified mental health provider can support you in building strong self-esteem and a more positive mindset. 

What does it mean to have low self-esteem?

When your self-esteem is low, it can make everyday life more difficult. Low self-esteem often shows up as harsh self-criticism, doubt, or feeling undeserving of success or kindness. Over time, low self-esteem can contribute to mental health conditions like depression, attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), and anxiety. The relationship goes both ways too: Mental health conditions can lower self-esteem, but low self-esteem can also worsen the symptoms of a pre-existing mental health condition. 

Even if your self-esteem is low now, it might not always be. Think about self-esteem on a spectrum — throughout life, it naturally rises and falls. For example, during adolescence or major life changes, our self-esteem might be lower. But when we feel secure in our relationships or successful at work, our self-esteem can grow stronger.

It’s possible to change the way you feel about yourself, and many people benefit from going to a therapist and using specific strategies to strengthen their self-esteem.

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Take the self-esteem quiz 

This quiz was designed to help you understand where you might fall on the self-esteem spectrum. It isn’t meant to be a diagnostic tool. Low self-esteem isn’t a mental health condition, so there’s no way to diagnose it. But it can be an effective starting place to more deeply understand yourself and how to take action. 

Consider the following questions: 

• When someone compliments you, do you assume the person is lying?
  • Never
  • Sometimes
  • Always
• Do you tend to take constructive feedback as a personal attack?
  • Never
  • Sometimes
  • Always
• When you look in the mirror, do you feel unhappy with what you see?
  • Never
  • Sometimes
  • Always
• Do you tend to think or speak about yourself negatively?
  • Never
  • Sometimes
  • Always
• Do you tend to view others as better than you?
  • Never
  • Sometimes
  • Always
• Do you feel you’re less deserving of achievements than your peers?
  • Never
  • Sometimes
  • Always

If you answered “Never” to most questions, you likely have healthy self-esteem. You feel positive about your accomplishments and qualities. 

If you answered “sometimes” or “always” to most of the questions, it’s possible that you have low self-esteem. You may want to improve your view of yourself. 

If you have low self-esteem

If the quiz helped you realize that you have low self-esteem, allow this to be a call to take action. It may be a sign of an underlying mental health condition and can have negative effects on your relationships, career, and other aspects of life. Remember, self-esteem isn’t black and white. Just because you’re experiencing low self-esteem right now doesn’t mean it’ll be that way forever. With the right strategies and support, you can improve your self-esteem. 

Causes of low self-esteem can include both situational factors (like going through a breakup) and deeper underlying reasons (like childhood trauma and attachment difficulties). A therapist can help you understand why you might have low self-esteem and how to address it. 

Here are some steps you can take to start improving your self-esteem:

• Practice self-compassion. Self-compassion can look like speaking to yourself the way you’d speak to a close friend. Notice and gently challenge your harsh inner critic who tells you you’re not good enough. 
• Celebrate small wins. Recognize your efforts and accomplishments, no matter how small. Progress counts, even if it’s not perfect.
• Surround yourself with supportive people. Choose to spend time with people who support you, rather than those who bring you down. 
• Challenge negative thoughts. When you notice negative thoughts like, “I’m not good enough,” ask yourself, “Is this thought true? What’s the evidence against it?”
• Seek help if you need it. A licensed therapist can help you understand the reasons behind your low self-esteem and guide you on the journey toward healthier self-image.

Find care with Rula

If you took our test and realized you have low self-esteem, know that it’s possible to improve your self-image and mental health. Once you understand how you see yourself and how your self-esteem affects the rest of your life, you can start taking steps toward change. 

At Rula, we’re committed to delivering a comprehensive behavioral health experience that helps people feel seen and understood so they can get back to feeling their best. 

Rula makes it easier to find a licensed therapist or psychiatric provider who accepts your insurance so you don’t have to choose between affordable care and excellent care. With a diverse network of more than 15,000 providers, 24/7 crisis support, and appointments available as soon as tomorrow, we’re here to help you make progress — wherever you are on your mental health journey.

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