Self-pity is an
emotion
Emotions are physical and mental states brought on by neurophysiology, neurophysiological changes, variously associated with thoughts, feelings, behavior, behavioral responses, and a degree of pleasure or suffering, displeasure. There is ...
in which one feels self-centered
sorrow and
pity
Pity is a sympathetic sorrow evoked by the suffering of others. The word is comparable to ''compassion'', '' condolence'', or ''empathy''. It derives from the Latin (etymon also of ''piety''). Self-pity is pity directed towards oneself.
Two d ...
toward the self regarding one's own internal and external experiences of suffering.
Self-pity has also been defined as an emotion "directed towards others with the goal of
attracting attention,
empathy
Empathy is generally described as the ability to take on another person's perspective, to understand, feel, and possibly share and respond to their experience. There are more (sometimes conflicting) definitions of empathy that include but are ...
, or help"
Description/ Definition
The feeling of self-pity typically arises when an individual attributes failures to external factors perceived as uncontrollable.
Although the primary focus of self-pity is on the
self
In philosophy, the self is an individual's own being, knowledge, and values, and the relationship between these attributes.
The first-person perspective distinguishes selfhood from personal identity. Whereas "identity" is (literally) same ...
and one's own emotions, it has a strong
interpersonal
In social psychology, an interpersonal relation (or interpersonal relationship) describes a social association, connection, or affiliation between two or more people. It overlaps significantly with the concept of social relations, which are ...
component as well. In addition to
loneliness
Loneliness is an unpleasant emotional response to perceived or actual isolation. Loneliness is also described as social paina psychological mechanism that motivates individuals to seek social connections. It is often associated with a perc ...
, subjects may also feel "
envy
Envy is an emotion which occurs when a person lacks another's quality, skill, achievement, or possession and either desires it or wishes that the other lacked it. Envy can also refer to the wish for another person to lack something one already ...
, blame,
anger
Anger, also known as wrath ( ; ) or rage (emotion), rage, is an intense emotional state involving a strong, uncomfortable and non-cooperative response to a perceived provocation, hurt, or threat.
A person experiencing anger will often experie ...
, and
hostility
Hostility is seen as a form of emotionally charged aggressive behavior. In everyday speech, it is more commonly used as a synonym for anger and aggression.
It appears in several psychological theories. For instance it is a Facet (psychology), f ...
directed towards others".
However, it is also very common for people suffering from self-pity to deflect criticism of themselves; they are usually incapable of
self-reflection and blame their bad situation only on external factors, such as bad luck or other people's supposed resentment.
Self-pity is different from
self-compassion
In psychology, self-compassion is extending compassion to one's self in instances of perceived inadequacy, failure, or general suffering. American psychologist Kristin Neff has defined self-compassion as being composed of three main elements – ...
, which consists of extending
compassion
Compassion is a social feeling that motivates people to go out of their way to relieve the physical, mental, or emotional pains of others and themselves. Compassion is sensitivity to the emotional aspects of the suffering of others. When based ...
to oneself in cases of failure or general
suffering
Suffering, or pain in a broad sense, may be an experience of unpleasantness or aversion, possibly associated with the perception of harm or threat of harm in an individual. Suffering is the basic element that makes up the negative valence (psyc ...
.
Effects
The research based on observation on self-pity is very slim, but the research that is available shows that self-pity can be an effect from a stressor of a dramatic event. It can also be shown that aspects of one's personality can affect one's self-pity. Although others initially respond to self-pity with empathic concern, the interpersonal effects of frequent expression of self-pity can be detrimental. Individuals who engage in pervasive self-pity may be more likely to be rejected by their peers and may commonly be perceived as querulous.
Treatment
As self-pity is observed to be associated with
rumination and
avoidance coping strategies, it is an important emotional experience to acknowledge in therapeutic settings.
See also
*
Moral emotions
*
Pity
Pity is a sympathetic sorrow evoked by the suffering of others. The word is comparable to ''compassion'', '' condolence'', or ''empathy''. It derives from the Latin (etymon also of ''piety''). Self-pity is pity directed towards oneself.
Two d ...
*
Self-conscious emotions
*
Self-compassion
In psychology, self-compassion is extending compassion to one's self in instances of perceived inadequacy, failure, or general suffering. American psychologist Kristin Neff has defined self-compassion as being composed of three main elements – ...
*
Social emotions
*
Victim playing
*
Victim mentality
Victim mentality or victim complex is a psychological concept referring to a mindset in which a person, or group of people, tends to recognize or consider themselves a victim of the actions of others. The term is also used in reference to the t ...
*
''Pity'' (film) – movie about the emotion
References
{{DEFAULTSORT:Self-Pity
Emotions
Self