Feeling Worthless: A Guide to Your Emotions

PUBLISHED Dec 23rd, 2020 & UPDATED ON Jan 26th, 2023

When you’re feeling worthless, you might feel like you don’t deserve love… Like something is wrong with you… Like you have no purpose… Or like you add no value to the lives of anyone around you… Like you’re not enough… Like you’re just not. worth. it.

Whoa, whoa, whoa! Hold up. First of all, we’re here to tell you that none of that is true. AT ALL. And if you feel like you’re the only one who has ever felt this way, we have some news for you: you’re not! It’s common to have feelings of worthlessness at some point.

We face so much pressure to determine what our value is in life thanks to societal norms, media, yada yada. It’s super common to place all of our self worth into things like our job title, how we look, who we hang out with, our lifestyles and how we compare to other people. Over time, the pressure to understand our value and where it comes from can really weigh on us and become overwhelming AF. But we’re here to tell you that you DO have value, always. And we’re gonna help you overcome this feeling, ‘cause guess what?! You are 100% worth it!

A Deeper Look at Feeling Worthless

According to Dictionary.com, the definition of worthless (adj.) is: “without worth; of no use, importance, or value; good-for-nothing.” Wowww. With this definition in mind, would you ever want one of your loved ones to think of themselves as worthless? It’s safe to say the answer is probably: HELL NO. Buuut we do tend to be harder on ourselves than we are with the people we care about. At times, we can be sooo critical of ourselves, struggle with low self-esteem, and question our value as a person. And obviously, feeling worthless just makes us really fucking sad.

Why do we feel worthless sometimes? Wellll, pretty much whenever we’re faced with something that makes us question our own self-worth. Maybe you feel worthless after losing your job. It could be that you’ve been dumped or rejected by someone. Or maybe you grew up with an abusive or neglectful parent. There could be a past trauma that you’ve struggled to overcome. So many things can affect how we feel about ourselves, but it’s important to remember that no matter what, you. still. matter!

Look, we know overcoming this feeling is easier said than done. When we feel worthless, it’s hard to see the positives in life or recognize the value we have. We don’t treat ourselves with the self love and respect that we truly deserve. Again: don’t be hard on yourself. We all deal with this feeling from time to time, and it’s totally possible to get through it!

How Feeling Worthless Shows Up Mentally

Feeling worthless can defs impact our mental wellbeing in negative ways (well, duh). It can cause us to have nasty thoughts about ourselves, like how we’re not good enough or that we have no purpose in life. We might have less interest in life altogether, because feeling worthless makes us think that nothing we do matters. Our motivation might seriously be lacking, too.

It’s also common to withdraw socially or develop social anxiety when we’re feeling worthless. We might start to blow off plans with friends, avoid family gatherings, or seclude ourselves at work. And it’s not just because we want some alone time. The thought of being around other people and having them potentially judge us (or think any of the negative thoughts we have about ourselves) might be too much to handle.

When we feel worthless, our thoughts can turn pretty dark. If you ever experience suicidal thoughts, you should seek professional help. Feeling worthless can be a symptom of depression, anxiety or other mental health conditions. And you don’t need to face that alone!

How Feeling Worthless Shows Up Physically

Feeling worthless can show in other ways, too. Physically, you might feel a heavy, dull pain in your body. You might feel tired or lethargic all of the time, and deal with constant headaches. Maybe you don’t feel like taking care of yourself, like making sure you have something to eat or showering. It might seem pointless, or you just don’t have the energy or motivation.

5 Ways to Cope with Feeling Worthless

So when you feel worthless, how do you overcome it?! Don’t worry, we’ve got your back. Here’s some ways you can cope with feeling worthless!

1. Reach out for support

Your loved ones are there for a reason! When you need to talk through how you’re feeling, lean on the people you trust. Sometimes just having someone to listen to us and validate how we’re feeling makes all the difference.

2. Comfort yourself like a friend

If you don’t have someone around who can be there for you right now, be there for yourself as best as you can. Remind yourself that everything will be okay, and that this feeling is temporary.

3. Engage in something soothing and comforting

Spend time with your pet by cuddling them or taking them on a walk. Touch something comforting like your fave cozy blanket. Brew some tea or your drink of choice. Do whatever makes you feel calm and safe!

4. Find a positive distraction

Pick up that book you’ve been meaning to read for a while now. Watch an episode of a show that always makes you laugh. Clean out your closet. Listen to a podcast. Finding something that can take your mind off things can be so helpful!

5. Practice meditation

Meditation is a method that’s been used to relieve stress and improve mental clarity since, like… forever. This practice allows us to slowww down and shift our mindset. If you’re not sure how to meditate, start out with a guided practice. Hey, everyone’s gotta start somewhere!

We hope you find these tips helpful and that you feel a little bit less alone. It’s not always easy to overcome feeling worthless. But we know you can do it! And remember: you are 100% worth it.