self-hatred#In social groups

{{Expert needed|1=Psychology|reason=Article needs significant revision, analysis, and sourcing|date=April 2024}}

Self-hatred is a state of personal self-loathing or low self-esteem.{{Cite web |date=2013-09-20 |title=I Hate Myself |url=https://www.psychalive.org/i-hate-myself/ |access-date=2022-11-22 |website=PsychAlive |language=en-US}}

In psychology and psychiatry

The term "self-hatred" is used infrequently by psychologists and psychiatrists, who would usually describe people who hate themselves as "people with low self-esteem". Self-hatred, self-guilt and shame are important factors in some or many mental disorders, especially disorders that involve a perceived defect of oneself (e.g. body dysmorphic disorder). Self-hatred is also a symptom of many personality disorders, including borderline personality disorder,{{cite web|url=http://www.webmd.com/mental-health/tc/borderline-personality-disorder-symptoms|title=Borderline Personality Disorder - Symptoms|publisher=WebMD|access-date=17 June 2012}} as well as mood disorders like depression. It can also be linked to guilt for someone's own actions that they view as wrongful, e.g., survivor guilt.{{Citation needed|date=April 2011}}

In social groups

Self-hatred by members of ethnic groups, gender groups, and religions is postulated to be a result of internalization of hatred of those groups from dominant cultures.

= Ethnic groups =

= Women =

= Jews =

Theodor Lessing, in his book, Jewish Self-Hatred (1930), identified this as a pathology, “a manifestation of an over identification with the dominant culture and internalization of its prejudices.” There have been studies from sources stated in the scholarly research, “mental illness in Jews often derived from feelings of inferiority and self-hatred resulting from persecution and their subordinate position in society.”{{citation needed|date=October 2019}}

The term has been used to label American Jews accused of hiding their identity “by converting or intermarrying and raising their children in another faith” to overcome sociopolitical barriers due to antisemitism in the United States.{{cite journal |last1=Alperin |first1=Richard M. |title=Jewish Self-Hatred: The Internalization of Prejudice |journal=Clinical Social Work Journal |date=September 2016 |volume=44 |issue=3 |pages=221–230 |doi=10.1007/s10615-016-0577-2 |s2cid=147008248 }}

= LGBTQ+ individuals =

Internalized homophobia refers to negative stereotypes, beliefs, stigma, and prejudice about homosexuality and LGBTQ people that a person with same-sex attraction turns inward on themselves, whether or not they identify as LGBTQ.{{cite journal|last=Herek|first=Gregory M.|date=April 2004|title=Beyond 'Homophobia': Thinking About Sexual Prejudice and Stigma in the Twenty-First Century|url=http://psychology.ucdavis.edu/rainbow/html/Herek_2004_SRSP.pdf|journal=Sexuality Research and Social Policy|volume=1|issue=2|pages=6–24|doi=10.1525/srsp.2004.1.2.6|s2cid=145788359}}{{cite journal|last1=Herek|first1=Gregory M.|last2=Cogan|first2=Jeanine C.|last3=Gillis|first3=J. Roy|last4=Glunt|first4=Eric K.|year=1997|title=Correlates of Internalized Homophobia in a Community Sample of Lesbians and Gay Men|journal=Journal of the Gay and Lesbian Medical Association|volume=2|issue=1|pages=17–25|citeseerx=10.1.1.582.7247|oclc=206392016}}{{cite journal|last1=Williamson|first1=I. R.|date=1 February 2000|title=Internalized homophobia and health issues affecting lesbians and gay men|journal=Health Education Research|volume=15|issue=1|pages=97–107|doi=10.1093/her/15.1.97|pmid=10788206|doi-access=free}}

Related concepts

= Self-deprecation =

Self-deprecation is the act of belittling, undervaluing, or disparaging oneself, or being excessively modest.{{Cite web |title=Self-Deprecation |url=https://personalityspirituality.net/articles/the-michael-teachings/chief-features/self-deprecation/ |access-date=2022-11-22 |website=Personality & Spirituality |date=8 September 2013 |language=en-GB}} It is often used as a form of humor and tension release,{{cite web|url=http://www.sietar.org.uk/publications/articles/55-the-funny-thing-about-work|title=The Funny Thing About Work|last=Hill|first=Matthew|publisher=Society for Intercultural Training and Research|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120120031057/http://www.sietar.org.uk/publications/articles/55-the-funny-thing-about-work|archive-date=2012-01-20|access-date=2011-05-04}} but it also simultaneously normalizes self-hatred.

= Self-harm =

Self-harm is a psychological phenomenon in which subjects feel compelled to physically injure themselves (for example, the cutting, burning or hitting of oneself) as an outlet for self-hatred, anxiety, or anger, and is related to numerous psychological disorders.{{cite journal |last1=Laye-Gindhu |first1=Aviva |last2=Schonert-Reichl |first2=Kimberly A. |title=Nonsuicidal Self-Harm Among Community Adolescents: Understanding the 'Whats' and 'Whys' of Self-Harm |journal=Journal of Youth and Adolescence |date=October 2005 |volume=34 |issue=5 |pages=447–457 |doi=10.1007/s10964-005-7262-z |s2cid=145689088 }}{{citation |author=Klonsky, D. |year=2007 |title=The functions of deliberate self-injury: A review of the evidence |journal=Clinical Psychological Review |volume=27 |pages=226–239 |doi=10.1016/j.cpr.2006.08.002 |pmid=17014942 |issue=2|s2cid=1321836 }}{{cite journal |last1=Muehlenkamp |first1=Jennifer J. |title=Self-Injurious Behavior as a Separate Clinical Syndrome. |journal=American Journal of Orthopsychiatry |date=2005 |volume=75 |issue=2 |pages=324–333 |doi=10.1037/0002-9432.75.2.324 |pmid=15839768 |citeseerx=10.1.1.874.2944 }}

In some cases, self-harm can lead to accidental death or suicide due to its self-destructive nature. However, it is not a definitive indicator of either the desire to attempt suicide or even suicidal ideation.{{Cite web|url=http://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/teen-angst/201210/understanding-suicide-and-self-harm|title=Understanding Suicide and Self-harm|website=Psychology Today|language=en-US|access-date=2019-02-01}} For this reason, self-harm is sometimes also called non-suicidal self-injury (NSSI).