9 Signs of an Inferiority Complex and 9 Tips to Overcome It

As you might tell by its name, an inferiority complex is a deeply seated feeling of being inferior to others. This feeling can be present whether you seem to have a specific rational reason for it or not.

I still remember the first time I became aware of an intense feeling of inferiority living and thriving inside of me. While this feeling of worthlessness was present ever since I can remember, it got worse over the years, especially during my teenage years and all the way to my twenties. That’s when I ended up in a deep depression.

It seems like the famous “I’m not good enough” was the constant echo in the back of my mind, and the only way I could silence it was by consuming drugs and alcohol.

“I’m not good enough” is what lies behind every inferiority complex.

So what exactly is inferiority complex, how can you tell you have it, and what can you do to dissolve it?

Take a look at the infographic below to find out!

inferiority complex infographic

As Dr. Maxwell Maltz puts it in his book “Psycho-Cybernetics”:
“Inferiority and Superiority are reverse sides of the same coin. The cure lies in realizing that the coin itself is spurious.

The truth about you is this:
You are not “inferior.”
You are not “superior.”
You are simply “You.”Stop Feeling inferior - Inferiority Complex Hypnosis Promotional Banner“You” as a personality are not in competition with any other personality simply because there is not another person on the face of the earth like you, or in your particular class. You are an individual. You are unique. You are not “like” any other person. You are not “supposed” be like any other person and no other person is “supposed”‘ to be like you.”

If you have found this infographic helpful, please share it on your favorite social media sites and help others on their path to inner peace and social confidence!

If you’d like to overcome social anxiety and transform your social life, check out the “Bye bye, Social Anxiety” guide and get on the fast track to inner peace and lasting confidence. It’s an extensive ebook I wrote, based on my own experience with overcoming crippling social phobia.
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Barbara

After struggling with social anxiety for many years and finding a way out, I created freefromsocialanxiety.com to share the best and most useful information I gathered over time, in order to help others find ways of overcoming social anxiety, building lasting confidence, and developing social skills.

Click Here to Leave a Comment Below

annlymous - last year

Thank you for the site
My Inferiority Complex has worsened over the years, and anxiety has shown up too.

I am age 90 and just to change the subject, I don’t suffer from loneliness, I have too much to do,
Living alone gives me time to do what I enjoy like writing, reading, sewing crowshaying, cooking and baking, not to mention cleaning.

All the best
Anonymous

Reply
    Barbara - last year

    Hi, thank you for your comment. I hope the article helps you find ways to grow more self-acceptance and dissolve anxiety. It’s good to hear you always find something you love to do and keep your creativity high – living alone definitely has its advantages 🙂
    I wish you all the best too!

    Reply
Zouro - 8 months ago

I never knew what this feeling was exactly until i stumbled upon this. I always had a feeling of being lost whenever I’m deep in that mind set. Seeing others know what it is and being advised how to fix it from those who have had it is amazing. Thank you for this, this really opened my eyes up. Gets rid of that lostness.

Reply
    Barbara - 8 months ago

    Hey Zouro, thanks for your comment. I’m glad to hear that the infographic and article have been helpful for you!

    Reply
Aninymous - 7 months ago

I’ve been struggling with this since childhood and some days it’s nasty. Every word I say I question – wasn’t that stupid? It has made me a little bit socially awkward. In a group setting, my brain produces so many thoughts to say, but I immediately run them trough a filter and either say nothing or play it safe, so I come accross as not genuine or boring. I am 33 now and I learnt slowly and deliberately to let go and allow myself to be spontaineous in what I do and say. Every day I must conciously work on this. Sometimes, it’s very tiring. I think about talking to a therapist, but it seems silly because other than that, my life is beyond blessed.

Reply
    Barbara - 7 months ago

    Kudos for working on it and making progress! I can relate to what you say as I used to struggle with it too. It’s really about accepting ourselves for who we are, and when we do that, we also become more spontaneous and communication becomes fun and pleasant. Ultimately, it’s not about WHAT we say but HOW we say it since people consciously or subconsciously pick up the energy/vibe and the confidence we emit. Getting out of our comfort zone is one of the most important things, as long as we also get our mindset right.

    Reply
Ashley Hoober - a few months ago

I find that many of us suffer from this before we even realize. thanks for sharing , great post!

Reply
    Barbara - a couple of months ago

    Hey Ashley, thanks for the comment. I agree a lot of people suffer from this without realizing. After all, at the core of all inner suffering is the feeling of not being good enough.

    Reply
Leonard Ohaeri - a few months ago

Thanks for all you do to help people. My son who is autistic suffers from social awkwardness.
I think your articles can help him a lot.

Reply
    Barbara - a couple of months ago

    Hi Leonard, it means the world to me to know that the content I create and post is helpful to someone. It’s what makes all the work worth it. Thank you for taking the time to comment and let me know.

    Reply
Abdul Qadeer - a couple of months ago

Thanks its great.. pls. add more solutions..

Reply
    Barbara - a couple of months ago

    Hi Abdul, glad you liked it. Thank you for the suggestion. I might write another article on this subject and go into more dept on how to dissolve the inferiority complex. In the meantime, all articles on my blog that talk about overcoming social anxiety are basically also about overcoming inferiority complex, since inferiority complex is at the core of social anxiety.

    Reply
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