What does a superiority complex imply? Why are there people who believe they are superior? Discover the signs to identify airs of superiority and what to do about it.
A superiority complex It implies that people believe that their skills, achievements, and aptitudes are drastically better than others. These individuals, feeling superior to others, behave in a more condescending, conceited manner or may even treat others badly. But why can some people feel superior to others?
A superiority complex This is a person who has an exaggerated sense of self-worth. In reality, many times true feelings of mediocrity are hidden behind these airs of superiority. According to Adler’s theory of individual psychology, a superiority complex and an inferiority complex are linked. He maintained that a person who acted superior to others and regarded others as less worthy actually had a feeling of inferiority.
Individual psychology is based on the idea that all people strive to overcome both a sense of inadequacy and inferiority, which leads us to master skills and create a life that is meaningful in both our belonging and success. Therefore, in this context, a superiority complex is the result of or reaction to the inability to achieve one’s goals or live up to internal expectations. Freud, for his part, theorized that a superiority complex It was actually a way of overcompensating for the areas where we actually have a lack or a flaw.
Why are there people who believe they are superior?
People who think they are superior or suffer from a superiority complex They really have a reaction to a deep feeling of inferiority. This complex was first identified by psychologist Alfred Adler.
According to this theory of individual psychology, consider yourself superior to others, indicates that it is very likely that people are working very hard to both master certain skills and complete achievements. That is, to camouflage an inferiority complex, these people try to exaggerate their achievements or make others feel bad in order to feel much better about themselves.
On the other hand, there are psychologists who argue that people who think they are superior they may not be trying to hide low self-esteem. Instead, these people genuinely believe that they are more successful than others, even though there is no evidence to prove it.
The superiority complex and its symptoms
There are a series of attitudes that can help us identify a person with a superiority complex Among these signs, we can highlight the following:
They seek validation: The people who thinks he is superior to others He often tries to foster his sense of self-esteem through external sources. In this way, people with a superiority complex tend to feel good only when others really see them that way. Therefore, they end up exaggerating their achievements and/or abilities to convince themselves that they are worthy or that they have truly achieved ‘enough’ in their lives.
They do not admit their mistakes: Normally, the arrogant people Those who act as if they were superior to others often do not take responsibility for their mistakes. In many cases they tend to believe that they are always right and are not usually willing to consider the opposing opinions of others. When you are not at peace with who you really are, the tendency is to hide behind a ‘perfect’ version of yourself that you think others can really like.
They compare a lot with others: It’s human nature to compare yourself to other people. But, people with a superiority complex They often do so because their sense of self-worth is based on what others perceive of them.
They suffer mood swings: A person with airs of superiority He is usually constantly comparing himself to others and trying to surpass everyone around him. This may imply that in some cases they feel bad for not being able to outperform others.
They have a tendency to relate everything about themselves: The people with airs of superiority They tend to be very egocentric. For this reason, they may end up relating many events, achievements or actions to their abilities instead of those of others.
They are controllers: On many occasions if you are next to people who think they are superior to others and you don’t act in the expected way, he may end up getting upset with you. This is because they like to be right and not that others can ‘one-up’ them.
They get offended if they don’t receive positive comments: Another sign that we are facing a superiority complex It is precisely that these people tend not to take criticism very well. In fact, they don’t want to hear anything but positive comments from those around them.
A superiority complex It doesn’t make someone a bad person. In reality, many times believing yourself to be better than others is usually the result of emotional pain. If you identify with this type of attitude, it is important that you try to work on your self-esteem with a professional psychologist.
How to avoid having a superiority complex?
Both the inferiority complex and that of superiority They come from an unrealistic perception of yourself. People who have these airs of superiority usually consider that they have less or more success than they really ‘deserve’ and this can greatly affect both the individual level and the relationships we have at our side. When faced with these types of feelings, people can try the following:
Make a list of real achievements and skills without exaggerating.
Avoid thinking about all or nothing. If you notice that you believe in things as good or bad, try to find a balance.
Notice how you feel about other people’s achievements. Do you feel happy or jealous for them? Try to feel happy for them without feeling bad about yourself.
Forgive yourself for mistakes without punishing yourself with negative thoughts.
If a superiority complex It is affecting you too much, it is important to go to a mental health professional to be able to work on these feelings. On many occasions, this type of exaggeration of our personal perception only means that we should focus more on taking care of ourselves both inside and out.
