In the field of psychology and psycho-analysis, inferiority complex is a feeling that one is inferior to others in some way. Inferiority complex also known as Low-Self-Esteem is an advanced state of discouragement, often embedding itself into one’s life style, and sometimes resulting in a retreat from difficulties. Most people who suffer from inferiority complex are usually very low in self-confidence, they don’t believe in themselves, they all have bad feeling about themselves, always nursing the feeling that others are better than them.

Inferiority complex according to classical Adlerian psychology can be divided into the primary and secondary feelings. A primary inferiority feeling is said to be rooted in the young child’s experience of weakness, helplessness and dependency. It can be intensified by company a child to his/her other siblings and always finding fault in the child which easily makes a child withdrawn and of course such a child will begin to see other children as better than himself or herself. Parents also directly or indirectly in their words and actions contribute to a child’s feeling when they constantly show their love for their other children or when they have a favourite child in the family and neglect others. A neglected child who suffers discrimination from his/her family will of course have a low self – esteem.

A secondary inferiority feeling relates to an adult’s experience of being unable to reach an unconscious, fictional final goal of subjective security and success to compensate for the inferiority feelings. The perceived distance from that goal would lead to a negative or depressed feeling that could prompt the recall of the original feeling’ this composite of inferiority complex could be experienced as overwhelming.

CAUSES OF INFERIORITY COMPLEX
Some situations in which feeling of inferiority may arise are:

* PARENTAL ATTITUDES AND UPBRINGING
Most parents are guilty of this. They make disapproving or negative remarks about their child, they even use very derogatory and abusive words on their child. They also emphasize the child’s mistakes and shortcomings. This can determine the attitude of the child before the age of six.

* PHYSICAL DEFECTS
Most people who have disproportional facial and body features such as weight, height, strength, speech defects and defective vision usually have a negative feeling about themselves, and may always feeling inferior in the midst of people. Also, some persons may have a low-self esteem because they feel others are more beautiful or handsome more than them.

* MENTAL LIMITATIONS
Other people may begin to feel inferior because they measure and compare the wealth and success of their mates or friends. When they know their friends are doing better than them, the inferiority feelings begin to set in. others may also begin to feel inferior when their wives, children, husband or parents compare them with their colleagues’ achievements. This is usually disheartening and may eventually make the victim to have a low-self-esteem.

* SOCIAL DISAVDANTAGES AND DISCRIMINATIONS
A person may have inferiority feeling when she is from a lowly background, she may feel a little uneasy whenever she mixes with people from wealthy homes and high class individuals. A person may also feel inferior due to his/her sex, religion and economic status.