Do you feel inferior?

I do feel inferior a lot of the time. Some people around me literally seem to have everything going for them whereas I'm just... alright. It was consolidated in my mind when some boy told me I had no personality a few years ago. Not for any reason, just out of the blue. I know it's totally wrong but I hate knowing I present myself that way. I don't really like the way I look much either but that doesn't really make me feel inferior in a big way (it does a little I suppose), it's having my personality criticised which has had the most effect.

Yes, all the time.

I'm going with no, because I don't consider myself inferior; I think everyone around me in public does. Granted, it is just me displacing the feeling of inferiority on to others back at myself, but that's why I think I get that "I want to speak up but can't" feeling all the time.
That's where I stand even though the logic seems flawed and/or confusing.

Yes. I've been bossed around my whole life. Anytime I try to step out of that somebody yells at me to get back in line.

I can't do a lot of things that are easy for normal people and I can't do anything better than anyone else. I'm not better than anyone else, but a lot of people are better than me in a lot of ways, if not everything. I wish I was someone else...

One of the reasons why people don't want to share their lives with me, being friends or even talking to me or get closer,etc is because they don't need to. Nobody needs me, but I do need other people. This planet is full of people and though I can try to be part of someone's life, they can easily refuse me because there are millions of people better than me out there, there is no reason to put up with me. I can offer everything I have, all my life, for someone else, but it will never be enough.

CosmicNeurotica said:

Do you feel inferior to others as well?
If we all feel inferior, where is there room for the truth? The truth and beauty of who we really are? Of what we can accomplish? If you had confidence in your abilities, would you have anxiety?

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Yes, I do feel inferior.

It's hard not to. I'm not great looking. I'm not even average. I'm not tall. I'm overweight. I'm not wonderfully intelligent and I don't have top notch academic qualifications. I don't have a great job and there's no big trust fund or big inheritance due to come my way.

That's before I get to the way I (don't) socialise with others. I have a nasty habit of always trying to compare myself to an ideal or to others. Everyone else seems so much happier, so much more comfortable in being around others and making friends.

Where is there room for "the truth"? There's always room for it, it's just that it tends to be inside of us. The thing is, as the saying goes, the truth sometimes hurts.

I think the inferiority thing is partly about how we see ourselves in comparison to others, and how well we can accept it and move on. I have a hard time trying to see the good in me or my life, but I'm trying my best to just accept it and move on.

Yes.
I truly believe that if I am not the absolute best at something... that I am nothing.

XD I know this is not good thinking, but I can't help it :/

Phoenixx said:

I definitely feel inferior most of the time. I'm constantly comparing myself to other people, and I really shouldn't. It's a horrible habit that one should never get into.

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I do this alot too. I feel that everyone else around me is enjoying their lives, when in reality they may end up having some of the anxiety and troubles that I have. I can't get myself to stop feeling inferior though because I feel as if I am. No one has made me this way except myself and I'm not quite sure how to get out of this way of thinking.

ThatOneShyKid said:

I do this alot too. I feel that everyone else around me is enjoying their lives, when in reality they may end up having some of the anxiety and troubles that I have. I can't get myself to stop feeling inferior though because I feel as if I am. No one has made me this way except myself and I'm not quite sure how to get out of this way of thinking.

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I can relate, but everyone has their own strength and weakness. All of us have our unique problems that we have to deal with, I know that I'm inferior than most people but that's who I am. I can do nothing to change this fact except for only try my best to solve my problems and accept myself.

Entangled said:

Yes.
I truly believe that if I am not the absolute best at something... that I am nothing.

XD I know this is not good thinking, but I can't help it :/

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I think this too, but I guess none of us can be perfect at everything, in fact no one is best at everything if at all. We can just always try.

MrJones said:

I can't do a lot of things that are easy for normal people and I can't do anything better than anyone else. I'm not better than anyone else, but a lot of people are better than me in a lot of ways, if not everything. I wish I was someone else...

One of the reasons why people don't want to share their lives with me, being friends or even talking to me or get closer,etc is because they don't need to. Nobody needs me, but I do need other people. This planet is full of people and though I can try to be part of someone's life, they can easily refuse me because there are millions of people better than me out there, there is no reason to put up with me. I can offer everything I have, all my life, for someone else, but it will never be enough.

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You have a lot of qualities that other people would love to share, you're a really good person MrJones.
Everyone needs people in their lives and I'm sure there're people out there who would want to be a part of your life but maybe you have to take the initiative to make them get to know you. Good luck

Srijita52 said:

You have a lot of qualities that other people would love to share, you're a really good person MrJones.
Everyone needs people in their lives and I'm sure there're people out there who would want to be a part of your life but maybe you have to take the initiative to make them get to know you. Good luck

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I am the one who takes the initiative around 90-95% of the times, because people just don't want to approach me. People don't want to have anything to do with me, and whenever someone tried to get to know me (or let's me show interest, because usually no one is even interested) I end up screwing everything up, one way or another, I always fail. If I had the qualities you say I have, things would be different. And I don't think I am a good person anyway.

R3X said:

I'm just answering to the question,"Yes,I feel COMPLETELY inferior.".
I'm only saying that is because I have ZERO ability/skills in anything....even the "losers / douche bags" out there are better than me 'cause they've AT LEAST have a friend where else i've got NONE(i mean a PERSONAL friend,not an acquaintaince)..So no matter what,if i see someone else with their friend,I'll instantly feel inferior already...*shrugs*i hate that feeling of "inferiority" although poeple constantly tell me NOT to...it's a pain in the 'S' really.....=..=

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So now i ask you a question. How do you know that these people you see around you are PERSONAL friends and not acquaintances? How can you tell that they are true to each other? Knowing myself relatively well and seeing what type of people are SA people i came to the conclusion that we only want around us true, honest and caring people. And you should be aware that for the most people on this planet these virtues dont mean so much and they end up in PERSONAL frienships for all kinds of reasons like conveniece, leeching social status, common hobbies and so on; not necesseraly at the core for real soul connection like you imagine. So stop thinking that you're the loner that nobody wants. True friends are hard to find for everybody who really wants one, not just for you.

P.S - im not native english; i hope i made myself understood.

Phoenixx said:

I definitely feel inferior most of the time. I'm constantly comparing myself to other people, and I really shouldn't. It's a horrible habit that one should never get into.

Another thing that really gets to me is my uncertainty and self-consciousness. I should know I'm smart and talented, but I'm so worried about how I put myself out there and what others think of me, I fear that maybe I'm not as talented or smart as I think I am. That people will view me as some loser who just thinks they're talented and smart.

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I can relate almost to identity to your state of mind. And that's why i strive to progress in my profession as much as i can. I already feel i surpasses many but i still feel inferior to many others.

DimBulb said:

I don not "feel" inferior. I am inferior. Reasons being:-

1) I am ugly

2) I am not smart

3) I do not have any confidence

4) I am underweight

5) Whenever I have been to (school, college and work), I am the most ugliest and the most pathetic guy around

6) Despite me being good at studies/exams no body even considered me as a human being; I was always like something which doesn't deserve respect/due consideration/kindness as a human being

7) I was/am constantly reminded of my abnormality.

8) I do not have any qualities what so ever which would make anyone take even the most remotest interest in me

9) About girls, I have never even spoken to one

10) It would be an understatement if I mentioned that I hate myself.

The above are facts, I accept those and I have been molded as such and it cant be changed.

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1) Relative; subjective common thinking amongst SA persons.
2) Relative; same as above.
3) So whats new under the son or ... should i say under the socialfobia forum?
4) Great...many overweights would prefer that!
5) If you'd a survey amongst you former collegues im pretty sure you'd be surprized! (i also felt that; now i know it wasnt true!)
6) Have you even asked anyone if they considered you a human being?
7) You mean YOU THINK THAT! Did anyone really expressed it?
8) If you are alive that cant be true.
9) So what stops you? Start online if you wish under complete anonimity.
10)You can be sure that God loves you. Start from there.

This inferiority thing is absolutely ridiculous and you may as well consider it like a computer virus that infects our brains. Its clear as daylight to me that SA people are generally smart, over the average Joe people. In fact i dont think i ve ever seen any stupid person suffering from SA. They are usually overconfident people. And the irony is that i feel insecure in the presence of such people.

xLindziex said:

I chose no. I don't feel inferior because why should I? Because I'm quiet? Because I don't have a million friends? Because I'm forced to deal with something I can't handle? I know I'm B.A. in things that others aren't. I have interests in things that others may not. I try to think of my ups instead of my downs even though it's definitely not the way I think naturally. I think a lot of us think of our downfalls before our positive qualities.

I think trying your hardest is what matters most. And surrounding yourself with positive vibes; whether they're people or just things you enjoy and/or are good at.

I have nothing to feel inferior about and neither should you or anyone else.

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If you really suffer from SA than inferiority is a given. But thats the right attitude. Lately thinking about the small steps forward and obscuring quickly the fails helped me alot. I also try to be more outgoing with people. I dont wait anymore feedback from them but try instead to force them into reaction rather than waiting from them to do so. What i mean is that i try to take initiative as often as i can; this really really boosted my confidence. Of course i relapse sometimes in my former self but i try to recompose as much as possible. And from what i see im starting to be more and more natural at this. Another thing concerning my person would be that due to my christian faith i try to follow Jesus Christ's lead and focus on the feelings of the people surrounding me and come to their help. This distracts me a great deal from my inner tremblings and its of great help in building the right mind setup for overcoming SA.

I voted "yes i feel inferior" because i think that the true question was if we feel inferior in situations or towards people where we shouldnt. I still find myself sometimes in such peculiar cases.