One of the great discoveries of Individual Psychology—the "inferiority complex" seems to have become famous all over the world.Psychologists of various schools have adopted the term and put it into practice in their own way.I am not sure, however, whether they really understood or applied the term correctly. For example, it is useless to tell the patient that he is suffering from an inferiority complex; this will only deepen his feelings of inferiority rather than teach him how to overcome them.We must find out the peculiar temperament that he expresses in his style of life, we must encourage him when his courage is lacking.

Every neurotic has an inferiority complex.It is absolutely impossible to separate one neurotic from another by the presence or absence of an inferiority complex. We can only separate him from other patients by the kind of situation he faces that makes him feel unable to continue his life, and by the limitations of his efforts and activities.If we just tell him: "You are suffering from an inferiority complex," it will not help his courage at all, because it is like telling a person with a headache: "I can tell what is wrong with you. You have a headache. sick!" There are many neurotics who, if asked if they feel inferior, will shake their heads and say, "No," and some will even say, "Quite the opposite. I know it: I am above everyone around me!" So , we don't have to ask, we just need to pay attention to the behavior of the individual.In his behavior we can see the artifice he employs to assure himself of his importance.

For example, if we see an arrogant person, we can guess how he feels: "People are always looking down on me, and I have to show who I am!" If we see a person who gestures too much when he speaks, we can also guess how he feels: "If I don't emphasize it, what I say will seem too weightless!" The man whose behavior is always deliberately superior to others, we also wonder if there is behind him a feeling of inferiority that requires special efforts to counteract. This is like a person who is afraid that he is too short and always walks on tiptoe to make himself appear taller.We can often see this behavior when two children compare their heights.People who are afraid of being too short will straighten up and hold this posture tensely to make themselves look a little taller than they really are.If we ask him, "Do you think you are too small?" we can hardly expect him to admit this fact.

However, this is not to say that a person with a strong sense of inferiority must be a person who appears to be submissive, quiet, restrained and aloof from the world.Feelings of inferiority can manifest in thousands of ways, and perhaps I can illustrate this with the story of three children who were brought to the zoo for the first time. When they stood in front of the lion cage, one child hid behind his mother and said tremblingly, "I want to go home." The second child stood where he was, with a pale face and trembling voice, "I will Not afraid." The third child stared at the lion intently and asked his mother, "Can I spit on it?" In fact, all three children already felt their own disadvantage, but each They all express his feelings in their own way according to his life style.