Years ago, a client I’ll call "Jane" sought help with depression. In our initial therapy session, I asked background questions about her family history, health history, and goals for treatment. “I have diabetes,” she said. Further questions revealed that she refused to check her blood sugar, an important, life-saving measure for Type I diabetics. “No, I can’t be bothered by all that checking,” she said, visibly agitated. “Diabetes is nature’s way of saying that I am human garbage." She said as if this were an obvious fact.

Jane had been rejected by one love in her life, and for her that meant she was unworthy of any love. The diabetes diagnosis merely confirmed her belief that she was “human garbage.” Jane had led an honorable life of dedication to school, work, and her aging parents. The shame she felt did not match the life she lived.

Believing that one is unworthy of love, health, and happiness can be life-threatening. Gabrielle Lyon, board-certified physician and geriatric and nutritional science researcher, has said, “A person will only be as healthy as they feel worthy.” Based on her work coaching patients to better health, she found that feelings of unworthiness often block people from taking the steps needed to improve their health (Lyon, G. 2023).

Worthlessness is a primary symptom of the life-threatening illness of depression (Breslaw, N. et al., 1985). Feeling unworthy, helpless, and blaming oneself can shatter the motivation to practice self-care, go to the doctor, and comply with treatment recommendations. Depression sucks the life energy and vitality out of a person. It makes self-care habits like exercise and socializing feel impossible.

Feelings of unworthiness often stem from childhood emotional wounds. A large body of research studying Adverse Childhood........

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