A therapist has revealed six reasons you may experience feelings of jealousy which have nothing to do with being insecure.
Amy Tran, a therapist from Toronto, shared the information in a post on Instagram, with her 239,000 followers.
Alongside the post, she wrote a caption, in which she described emotions as ‘teachers’.
She added that jealousy is an emotion, and went on to describe it as being ‘most definitely a loud teacher’.
The therapist continued: ‘Yet – most of us think that if someone is feeling jealous, it means they are insecure.
A therapist has revealed six reasons people may experience feelings of jealousy that are not about being insecure (stock image)
‘Jealousy is actually a very complex emotion that can teach us many different lessons.’
She went on to explain that people may be prone to stronger feelings of jealousy as an adult if, during childhood, they ‘felt overlooked while others around [them] seemed like they were loved, acknowledged, and recognised’ more than them.
According to Amy, jealousy ‘can also stem from traumatic experiences you have gone through, such as being rejected or abandoned by someone you deeply loved.
She wrote: ‘You may begin to question what is “wrong” with you and other people or relationships trigger this core belief that you are flawed or undeserving of love.’
Another reason people may experience jealousy is related to grief, according to the therapist.
She wrote: ‘What others have may also trigger feelings of grief about something you loss or never even had.
‘This may be a sign that you need to tune in and still need to process the grief loss.’
She continued, outlining another reason that can underlie feelings of jealousy, this time to do with self-limiting beliefs.
Among the reasons people may experience feelings of jealously cited by the therapist, was feeling overlooked as a child (stock image)
Believing you do not deserve what others have is another factor cited by therapist Amy Tran as a reason people may be jealous of others (stock image)
Amy explained: ‘ Sometimes we may get trapped in self-limiting beliefs, such as the belief that you do not deserve XYZ.
‘We project this belief onto others and believe they do not deserve these things either.’
Finally, in the caption of the post, the therapist discussed the emotion of jealousy further.
She outlined that it is ‘normal’ for humans to experience this emotion, and went on to talk about how important it is to consider your own emotions with ‘compassion’.
Amy explained: ‘Jealousy is a NORMAL human emotion.
‘Historically, it has been seen as an emotion that signals that you want to protect something important to you.
‘So ask yourself – in what way can I nurture what is important to me, or meet an unmet need of mine, instead of letting jealous dominant my life? ‘
She added: ‘Growing and self reflection means looking at our own emotions with compassion and understanding, and jealousy is no exception. ‘
Numerous Instagram users took to the comments section of the post to share their own experiences of feeling jealous.
One wrote: ‘I can’t be loved and worthy enough like love doesn’t exist and I shouldn’t been exist— thats what my jealousy tells me.’
And another added: ‘YUP! It’s not always about being insecure at all, it can be our experiences that shaped our responses to the world around us.’
A third revealed that the post resonated strongly with them, saying: ‘I see myself here in every single word.’
Meanwhile a fourth said they had found a positive way to use the emotion, writing: ‘I’ve learned to love my jealousy as it always shows me what I want more of in my life.’
Instagram users took to the comments section of the post to discuss their own experiences with feelings of jealousy
***
Read more at DailyMail.co.uk