IS DEPRESSION A CAUSE OR A CONSEQUENCE OF LOW SELF-ESTEEM?
It can be either. If we experience a significant failure in life, the failure not only causes depression, but it also robs us of any good feelings we have about ourselves. Our self-esteem then causes more depression. On the other hand, depression itself also produces diminished self-esteem. Part of the mood of depression is a feeling of self-rejection and hate. If we’re depressed, therefore, we will also experience diminution of self-esteem. It isn’t always easy to sort which is cause and which is consequence, and it probably doesn’t matter. The point is that there’s a strong connection between depression and self-hate. I’ll have more to say on this subject in chapters 4 and 9. WHAT BACKGROUND FACTORS MIGHT CREATE A TENDENCY TOWARD DEPRESSION? The experience of separation early in life seems to be a significant factor in being prone toward depression. Children who are separated even for short periods from their parents often find they become easily depressed later in life. This is tied
