Inferiority Complex: What is It? What Causes it?

They’re usually the type who want to turn everything into a competition to see who’s better, even if it’s something as ridiculous as how strong they sneeze.

These people are often jokingly accused of suffering from “short-man syndrome.” The truth is that this type of behaviour is referred to as an “Inferiority Complex,” and it’s a nasty state of being that consumes the people who are unlucky enough to suffer from it.

Regardless of what you might think about people who have it, it’s a serious condition, and it deserves to be discussed in depth.

Who Invented the Term?

Psychologist Alred Adler can be credited with coining the term “Inferiority Complex” in 1907. That’s quite a long time ago, and it goes to show constant human psychology has been throughout history. 

Adler was a firm believer that some of the most common neurotic symptoms observed in individuals can be traced back to a feeling of overcompensation. 

It’s a complex that all people are born with to varying degrees, and environmental factors can either make it worse or better.

He was right a century later, as many scientists have proved that an inferiority complex is brought on by a combination of genetic and environmental factors.

In fact, Adler became so popular for explaining this concept that a whole type of psychotherapy got established in his honour.

It’s called “Adlerian Psychotherapy,” and its aim, as you might have guessed, is to help patients overcome feelings of inferiority and overcompensation.

Modern-day Napoleons: 

Napoleon was considered short back in his day. His close advisors believed that that contributed to his desire for power and dominating the world.

There are key characteristics that define someone who suffers from a “Napoleon Complex,” regardless of the era they were born into.

The first is an extremely low level of self-esteem. A person will feel useless and unable to do anything in life for any number of reasons.

An even simpler definition is provided by the American Psychological Association, which defines it as “a basic feeling of inadequacy and insecurity.”

Environment and family upbringing play a big role in this.

People who generally come from abusive households or homes where a lot of comparisons are made all the time tend to have horrible low self-esteem.

In everyday situations, an inferiority complex in individuals causes them a number of problems that differ based on many factors. Some of them are:

• They’ll become depressed, extremely anxious, paranoid, or fearful of being around others. This will lead to social anxiety and withdrawal.
• They’ll think something is deeply wrong with them, and they’re powerless to figure it out. In turn, they’ll slowly become obsessed with proving themselves to everyone.
• Extreme competitiveness, the development of a judgmental attitude, and a tendency to avoid admitting their own faults when faced with facts.
• Aggressiveness and impulsive behaviour compensate for their perceived “passivity” in dealing with problems.
• Self-loathing, hatred, and the desire to “correct” everything with themselves.

Sometimes, an inferiority complex is rightfully justified when being around certain individuals triggers these feelings.

Most of the time, however, it’s unjustified and causes a lot of mental anguish for the people suffering from it.

What does all of this have to do with Napoleon? Well, it’s to draw attention to another idea.

People with an inferiority complex are not necessarily always people lacking in height. This condition can manifest in everyone, regardless of age, height, personality, or position in society.

This Sounds Familiar:

As you might imagine, all of the above is closely related to what’s known as a “Superiority Complex.” 

A superiority complex causes individuals to have an extremely high opinion of themselves.

This type of complex drives individuals to prove themselves in reaction to the bad feelings that being inferior in some situations causes them.

Again, the idea here is that people overcompensate for feelings of inadequacy by holding a very high opinion of themselves.

It’s a defence mechanism designed to mask the deep problems underneath, and it works very similarly to how an inferiority complex does.

The gist of all this is that superiority and an inferiority complex are closely related, and in some cases, they exist in the same individual.

What to Do?

How does one begin healing? What are the ways to overcome these negative mental thought patterns? And how can individuals live life normally again? 

The answer to all the above will differ slightly from one person to the next. There are, however, some things, in general, you can do to get unstuck.

• Therapy: While no doubt a challenging endeavour for anyone, the first thing they can do to get rid of their inferiority complex is to seek out therapy. Professional therapy is all about applying CBT (Cognitive Behavioral Therapy) to deal with the negativity arising out of an inferiority complex. A therapist will guide you as you examine your thought patterns and come to an understanding of your flaws and abilities.

• Social Support: People who want the best for you are your No.1 supporter. They can help with staying positive, passing the time, and getting away from being inside one’s head for too long. An inferiority complex will cause individuals to lash out, so if they’re not around people who understand these episodes, it’s going to be infinitely more difficult to get a handle on the symptoms.

• Journaling: Keeping a journal and writing down thoughts is a great way to cope with stress, never mind something like an inferiority complex. The great thing about a journal is that it’s accessible, and it’s always there. You can quickly open up a page and write down all your thoughts in detail. Things to write down include episodes where deep feelings of depression, guilt, and worthlessness crop up. This will help you track down when these negative thoughts occur and what to do to stop them.

• Positive Self-Talk: One thing is certain: The inferiority complex becomes worse if someone is negative all the time. The best remedy for that is to practise self-affirmation and positive self-talk. Affected individuals need to always remind themselves that they’re good enough as they are and that most of the negativity is not based on reality. This should become a habit, and it should be enforced by taking action.

Overall, treating an inferiority complex can prove to be extremely difficult. Individuals tend to internalise the negativity, becoming enslaved to their own imagined sense of uselessness.

If continued for a long enough time, it can be downright impossible to treat an inferiority complex.

That’s why a multifaceted approach should be employed to counter the effects of inferiority.

Do Genetics Have a Role?

Like everything that makes up human biology, genetics DO have a role in how an inferiority complex develops.

Generally speaking, oxytocin receptors in the brain are primed differently in individuals who have them. They’re more “on,” so to speak, which causes them to fire off more rapidly when negative emotions are felt. 

This, in turn, leads to the downward spiral and internalisation of negative thoughts associated with the complex.

Moreover, a history of family members who suffer from depression, PTSD, and other mental illnesses can pass on those genes to their children, which makes them prone to developing an inferiority complex.

In Conclusion:

An inferiority complex is NOT to be taken lightly. It’s a state of mind where every feeling of inadequacy, powerlessness, uselessness, and worthlessness tends to dominate. 

These people make it their life’s mission to prove themselves to everyone in order to cope with their perceived lack of worth.

There are many environmental and, in some cases, genetic factors that contribute to the development of this complex. It’s also often closely associated with the “Superiority Complex.”

We’ve gone over many ideas related to the symptoms, diagnosis, and possible treatments to deal with it.

Sometimes, an inferiority complex can be dealt away with through the simple act of forgiving oneself and accepting imperfections.

Other times, it’s an uphill battle that requires the support of close friends and the expertise of professional therapists.

Either way, don’t hold it against poor people. They’re dealing with something very hard to get rid of, and it might take them a lifetime to succeed.