a person’s general sense of self-worth and self-esteem, including satisfaction with their abilities, appearance, behavior, and relationships with others. Self-esteem is an important indicator of mental health because it affects how a person copes, makes decisions, and builds social relationships. People with high self-esteem tend to be confident, take responsibility, and persist in achieving goals, while people with low self-esteem may experience fear, anxiety, and feelings of inferiority, as well as social isolation or over-dependence on the opinions of others.