Worthlessness

Worthlessness

Overview of Worthlessness: The feeling of worthlessness and other feelings that may be related, such as hopelessness, guilt, persistent sadness, and loss of motivation can be an incredibly painful and difficult experience, almost impossible to explain to people who have never known it firsthand.  Often associated with depression, worthlessness can consist of many factors - heavy, dull pain in the body, negative thoughts about oneself in the mind, tearfulness, social anxiety, and a loss of interest in life. Suicidal thoughts are a real possibility.

The Medical Model and Worthlessness: Signs that someone is feeling worthless may include withdrawal from relationships, abuse of alcohol or other drugs, lethargy, diminished emotional expression, verbalizing their negative thoughts, avoiding eye contact, diminished self-care (showering, brushing hair, washing clothes, etc).

Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM): In the DSM, worthlessness is associated mainly with depression, but might also appear as a symptom of schizophrenia, anxiety, or certain personality spectrums. Strong feelings of worthlessness in children may be a sign of peer conflicts, or possibly of neglect or abuse, and should be taken seriously.

Case Examples of Worthlessness:

Brittany, 29, sees a therapist because she cannot stop crying, and feels she has no value as person and can never be loved. Anti-depressants have helped, but they cause her to feel anxious and lose sleep, as well as having sexual side effects, which in turn increases feelings of worthlessness. After several sessions, Brittany reveals deep feelings of anger towards her parents, whom she describes as critical and distant. Therapy – and hard work in her personal life – helps Brittany develop a sense of competence and trust in other people, which in turn strengthens her sense of self.

Tim, 14, has a sudden change in personality, showing little emotion, withdrawing socially, and performing poorly in school. His parents suspect drug use (his older sister went through a period of abuse) but Tim denies it and there is no hard evidence. The therapist meets alone with Tim and discovers he is questioning his sexuality in a number of ways, and is afraid to tell his parents. The therapist assists Tim in preparing to reveal some – though not all – of his inner turmoil to his parents, who, with guidance from the therapist, are able to remain supportive as Tim takes his time learning who he is. Because the family remains close and communicative through this small crisis, Tim is more willing to accept limits and agreements about his behavior, and to hear information about responsible relationships and his parents’ hopes and expectations for him.

Therapy for Worthlessness: There is a wide range of Psychotherapy Treatment Models or types of therapy used in the treatment of feelings of worthlessness. Most of these approaches fall into three historic camps of psychology: Psychoanalytic / Psychodynamic approaches; Behaviorism and; Humanism. Regardless of the type of therapy, there are some generally agreed upon elements of healthy therapy which are universal to all forms of psychotherapy. Before beginning therapy for worthlessness or any other issue, it is helpful to familiarize oneself with these elements.

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