Embarrassment is a negative emotion that we often experience when we do something wrong or make an embarrassing mistake. It can also be an uncomfortable experience when we feel a sense of vulnerability in social situations.
Embarrassment can be a source of distress for some people and can lead to long-term trouble. Fortunately, there are ways to deal with embarrassment in healthy ways.
Self-esteem
When you feel embarrassed in a situation, it is likely because your self-esteem is low. It is a mental state that affects your ability to perform, interact with others, and live a healthy life.
Having high self-esteem can make a big difference in your life and help you to be more resilient. It can also improve your relationships and increase your confidence.
You have high self-esteem when you believe you are a good person who deserves to be loved and respected. It’s important to note that self-esteem varies on a continuum, so it is not a fixed trait. This means that some people may have low self-esteem in one area but healthy self-esteem in another.
High self-esteem is also a good thing for your overall health, as it can protect against many mental health issues like depression and anxiety. It is also linked to better social relationships and a sense of well-being in general, according to research.
People with high self-esteem are not afraid to express themselves and take risks. They know their strengths and limitations, which helps them to achieve their goals. They also have empathy and compassion for themselves and others in their lives.
Perceived risk
Risk perception is the evaluation people make about the likelihood of a negative event occurring. This is important in health and risk communication because it determines which hazards people care about and how they deal with them.
The degree to which a person believes a particular risk is dangerous depends on factors such as affect, emotion and stigma, among others. This is especially true for laypeople, who typically do not have access to detailed information about risks.
In addition, heuristics such as optimistic bias (or unrealistic optimism) can also influence how a person perceives risk. Moreover, certain events can trigger a heightened level of fear or dread.
For example, an embarrassment-inducing situation can make a person less likely to get medically recommended tests. Similarly, it can dissuade some people from buying products that have been shown to be dangerous or have a high price tag.
Social norms
Often, we feel embarrassed when we violate a social norm. This is because we believe that others will judge us negatively for doing so.
A social norm is a set of expectations and rules that people use to guide their behavior within a group or society. They may be more specific than the mores that regulate group life, and they can change over time.
Some norms are also more flexible than others, but all are designed to keep groups functioning well. They can be beneficial or harmful, depending on the group.
Typically, social norms are formed when groups experience an externality, such as a lack of resources or protection. They are then used to regulate that externality by imposing a system of sanctions. These can include fines, penalties, or even imprisonment.
Anxiety
Anxiety is a mental and physical reaction to fear. The cognitive feelings of dread in anticipation of some bad outcome, and the physical sensations such as a racing heart are designed to capture attention and stimulate us to make changes that can protect what we care about.
In early humans, anxiety was driven by threats to our survival from large animals and imminent danger. These days, anxiety is more focused on issues such as work, money and family life.
If your worries are affecting your daily life, see your doctor or mental health provider as soon as possible to get help. Medication and therapy are usually used to treat anxiety disorders. Getting treatment before it gets worse is easier.