Expression: 'feeling of inadequacy'

[Tamara]

Hi

Entering the school again after so many years, David felt all the old feeling of inadequacy rising up inside him.

Could you, please, characterise the David’s feeling, briefly, with/by 2-3 other words?
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It’s impossible to learn swimming without entering the water…

[Alan]

Morning Tamara,
'
In a nutshell I would say: 'a sense of inferiority'

A
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English as a Second Language
You can read my ESL story Don't bank on it

[Tamara]

Morning Alan,

Thanks, that's clear enough.
(Anyway, not being a professional psychologist, I'm unable - I feel it - to distinguish clearly in such a context
'feeling' from 'sense' and 'sense of inferiority' from 'inferiority complex').
_________________
It’s impossible to learn swimming without entering the water…

[Tamara]

ps
Just note that the word inadequacy sounds a bit tricky for me, despite it's dictionary definition.
Something close to 'not adequate' (not relevant to the situation), not always due to 'inferiority', but possibly... quite the contrary.

But that's my problem, of course.
_________________
It’s impossible to learn swimming without entering the water…

[Alan]

'Inadequacy suggests' you are not 'up to it' not capable of carrying out a particular task.
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English as a Foreign Language
You can read my EFL story Head expressions for you

[Tamara]