Self-Deprecation: A Defense Mechanism or a Destructive Habit?

By Elizabeth De Santiago, Sydney LaCour and Mira Daniel
JournaliZm
Editorial Board

Encouraging self-awareness, saying positive affirmations, and building supportive environments with those around you are all ways to make sure you feel your authentic self is being valued, and can help to reduce the harmful effects of self-deprecation.

“I’m so stupid.”

“I’m such a mess.”

Phrases like these have become so common that when they are said, no one bats an eye. Self-deprecating phrases often go un- noticed in everyday speech, but what are the deeper implications behind these phrases and why do some feel the need to verbally put themselves down?

A study conducted by pubmed. ncbi.nlm.nih.gov on children’s self-talk under conditions of mild anxiety showed that increased levels of anxiety were associated with higher rates of negative self-talk. Self-deprecating jokes can be used as a form of negative self-talk.

Self-deprecation may also be used to try to relate to others in conversation. As humans it’s natural to want to know what others think about us. We also live in a highly competitive and comparison-driven society.

Some may say these qualities have been amplified by social media. Many young people may feel pressure to measure up to certain standards of success, appearance, and achievement, and when they feel they may be falling short of this, self deprecation can serve as a coping mechanism in order to manage feelings of falling behind.

In a lighter perspective, self-deprecating humor can just be a way for people of our generation to navigate social interactions and build connections with those around them. By making light of our own flaws or short- comings, we tend to seek acceptance and validation from those around us who can relate to similar experiences.

Of course occasional self-deprecation is a natural part of social interaction and humor, however chronic and excessive self-criticism can indicate some other underlying issues like low self-esteem, depression, or anxiety disorders.

Encouraging self-awareness, saying positive affirmations, and building supportive environments with those around you are all ways to make sure you feel your authentic self is being valued, and can help to reduce the harmful effects of self-deprecation.