A child might occasionally say “I hate myself” when they have made a mistake or are struggling with or embarrassed by something. Caregivers might often write this off as an overreaction, but sometimes children actually mean it.
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The Child Mind Institute has shared some resources on how to combat patterns described by experts as self-hatred or self-loathing. This is a belief by children that they are flawed and fundamentally unworthy of love.
The feeling is not merely a response to something specific they did or a particular failure, but rather something they believe they are.
According to the Child Mind Institute, highly sensitive children can come to loathe themselves, believing that they are unlovable. Self-hatred is not a diagnosis, but instead a painful experience that can put children at high risk for suicide.
The institute’s resources examine how reassuring a child that they are valued and loved may not help them believe it and the kinds of treatment that can help them build a more positive view of themselves.
The resources also cover ways to help children who may not have developed full-blown self-hatred, but are easily upset by criticism or susceptible to negative-thinking traps. There are also resources that cover strategies for helping children to build self-confidence to enable them to rebound in a healthy way when they experience failure.
The resources include:
