When Your Inner Critic Deepens Your Depression—How to Silence Its Voice

Some people are more prone to depression than others. But, no matter if that’s the case with you, some things can both trigger and deepen a depression.

If you have a negative, nagging inner critic, you might find that all of the harmful self-talk causes you to spiral deeper into a depressed state.

Your inner critic doesn’t have to be a bad thing. In some cases, it can help you to become more motivated or allow you to see things from a different perspective. But when your inner critic causes negativity and makes your depression worse, it could be a serious problem.

So, what can you do to silence your inner critic, find some peace, and feel less depressed?

Be More Aware of Your Thoughts

Sometimes, your negative self-talk can be the result of not being fully aware of your thoughts. It’s easy to get used to hearing your inner critic. So you start to tune out the fact that it’s saying things that just aren’t true. Or things that are too harsh.

Don’t get comfortable with your inner critic. Instead, be aware of what you’re thinking. Take your thoughts captive. It’s the first step in fighting back and not letting yourself become more depressed.

Additionally, don’t hold on to negative thoughts. If you find yourself constantly ruminating over something “bad” you did today or a mistake you made in the past, that’s just your inner critic trying to make things worse. Don’t let those thoughts linger.

Think of Yourself as a Friend

How do you talk to your friends and family members, or anyone you love? Chances are, you’re uplifting, supportive, kind, and patient.

If your friend or family member started doubting themselves, you probably wouldn’t agree or call them stupid or a failure. So, why do it to yourself?

It’s important to be as kind and compassionate with yourself as you would be with anyone else you love. Self-love is hugely important when it comes to silencing your negative self-talk.

So, when those “bad thoughts” start to come in, try replacing them with more positive ones. Chances are, the more positive thoughts will be more accurately rooted in truth. You can take the power away from your inner critic by choosing to be kind to yourself, the way you would with anyone you love.

What Is the Worst Case Scenario?

Often, your inner critic will show up to tell you something you’ve done wrong. Most of the time, it isn’t based on reality. Being able to see that can help you to ignore those negative thoughts.

But one way to make the things that voice is saying seem less scary is to think about the worst-case scenario. Let’s say you really did mess up. What would be the worst possible outcome? What would happen? How would you handle it? When you put some flesh on those ideas, they become less scary.

Additionally, when you think about those things, you automatically are showing yourself that you can get through difficult times. You are stronger than you probably give yourself credit for. Not only will that help to build confidence, but it can pull you further away from depression, too. You’ll continuously become stronger and less susceptible to negative thinking.

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If you’re struggling with a negative inner critic, silencing the inner critic’s voice isn’t impossible to do. Keep the aforementioned tips in mind to help with what that nagging voice has to say each day.

But if your depression seems to be getting worse, seeking out depression treatment can help. Feel free to contact me for more information, and to find freedom from your inner critic’s harsh words.

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All images are used for illustrative purposes only. Any person shown is used as a model only.