Do You Reject or Hate Yourself? Here’s Why (It’s Not What You Think)

From Empowerment Solutions With Dr. Friedemann by Dr. Friedemann

April 9, 2026 · 34 min · Episode 243

About this episode

The episode explores the psychology behind self-rejection and self-hatred, revealing their origins and how they can be unlearned.

Do you struggle with self-rejection, self-hatred, low self-worth, or that constant voice saying you're not good enough? In this video, we explore the deep psychology of self-rejection and self-hatred — where it starts, why your brain developed it, and why these patterns are not flaws, but protective mechanisms formed early in life. You’ll learn: The 4 unconscious interpretations children make when facing rejection or neglect The key difference between self-rejection and self-hatred Why shame fuels the inner critic How self-hatred can feel “safer” than self-acceptance The surprising reason self-hatred may actually be closer to healing than self-rejection Most importantly, you’ll begin to see that self-hatred is not who you are—it’s something you learned. And anything learned… can be unlearned. This is Part 1 of a 2-part series. In Part 2, we’ll explore how to move from self-rejection to self-acceptance—and eventually, self-love. Friedemann Schaub, MD, PhD, is the award-winning author of The Fear + Anxiety Solution. Dr. Schaub has helped thousands of people with his Personal Breakthrough and Empowerment program to overcome their fear and anxiety by addressing the deeper…

People in this episode

Host: Friedemann Schaub

Topics covered

self-rejection
self-hatred
mental health
psychology
self-acceptance
emotional challenges

Keywords

self-worth
inner critic
shame
protective mechanisms
healing
self-love

Mentioned in this episode

Books & works: The Fear + Anxiety Solution