Interview

I realized I could have a chance to interview my cousin, who has a double major in Psychology and Sociology. I had to revise my questions a little bit because she hasn't had as much experience as Dr. Fields. The interview is posted as followed... (The questions that I asked are in bold, the responses are in regular font, and my reactions after the interview is in italic.

In your own words, what is insecurity?

 Insecurity is feeling uncomfortable around anyone. Insecurity also means that you are aware of your low self-esteem and you either point out your flaws expecting compliments or you are consistently attacking others to convinced yourself you are better. Insecurity can also mean that you do not have the confidence to be yourself in any situation. However, insecurity can also be built and fixed by having a great support group.

Stephanie makes a great point here. She does touch upon the "bullying" concept which means that those that have poor self-esteem and high levels of insecurity can lead into bullying others for their pleasure. She also makes a point that being insecure means that you know that you are. I agree with what she says because being insecure could mean that you compare yourself to others, and to do that you have to know your flaws.

In your own words, how do we establish self-image?

Self-image these days, are very important to an individual. We develop these self-images through media, magazines and our social network. I feel that we feel pressure from our peers/friends to be a certain way. However, I also feel that this is apart of the stages of growing up and figuring out who we are. Self-image is based on how we see ourselves in the end and it should only matter to that individual.

I agree very much so to Stephanie's reaction to this question. She brought up aspects of self-image that I've never really seen before. She says that insecurity is a stage in one's life in finding out and accepting who you are. However, I know that some people do not get over this stage and they constantly feel that though they don't know what or don't like their self-image, in which makes them insecure.

How common do you think insecurity is?

I believe that insecurity is very common. I honestly believe that everyone has this insecurity issue at one point or another throughout their lives and we have to learn to deal with them.

Insecurity, as it turns out is very common. So, she is not incorrect here.

What can insecurities lead to?

I believe that insecurities can lead to conflict of relationship(s). It can also mess with your stress level and can either make you gain/lose weight. Too much stress can lead to loss of hair, change of mood and also depression.

Stephanie states that it can lead to high stress levels. I did not really look into this and research this as much as I wanted to. However, I do realize it now but I do feel as though lots of things in life can be stressful, it all depends on how you handle that amount of stress just like how you deal with your insecurities.

If someone were to have insecurities that they feel that it does constantly affect their life negatively, what would you suggest to them?

I would tell them to take it day by day, and really work on their insecurities even if that means baby steps. I strongly believe that if you have a great support system or a way to vent it can really help.

A great support system is, I believe, one of the most effective ways to handle insecurity. Whether it is a friend, a family member, a psychologist/psychiatrist, peer, and/or a teacher, if he/she can just listen to your views you don't have to always keep everything on your shoulders.

Psychologically, how does one develop insecurity? Mentally? 

 I believe that expectations play a huge role in insecurity. This then leads to their mental state that they believe that they are not good enough or think that they do not have the confidences in being themselves.

I never really thought about how expectations can play a role in insecurity. I feel like we obtain lots of expectations from a lot of people. And the pressure to match up to their expectations can really have an effect on how you see yourself.

 What are some effective ways that you believe that can overcome insecurity?

Having your close supporters such as family and friends. Counseling and talking to a therapist. The first step though is to accept and address the insecurities yourself. Before anyone else can begin to accept the flaws you feel you have, you must first take the steps to accept them yourself.

I hear that the first step to overcome anything is acceptance. But I don't see how you can you just accept your flaws. I understand that everyone has flaws, but it is up to the individual to change them. I guess change could be the next step in the process and in order to do that acceptance is key.

How does society play in insecurity?

Society is always building up an ideal image. You have to be this weight, this height, and this smart to be someone in this world. This all comes down to society having a huge expectation on people that people feel they have to meet. 

This response is very valid. Everywhere from television, commercial ads, and even peers, can influence how one thinks one SHOULD look. Expectation is a very big part on insecurity and self-image. 

Do you think religion can help maintain self-image?

I feel that religion can give you faith, but in the end, it comes down to the individual and how he/she feels about themselves. Religion could be a big contributor to insecurities because people feel like they have to be this perfect person, always good and right, but no one is perfect. And that's the problem.

It seems like Stephanie feels indifferent about the relation between religion and self-image. It can either help or hurt their insecurity/self-image. Yet, she is correct in saying that it is up to the individual and how he/she sees himself/herself.