Critical Self
Do you ever find your internal voice being rather self-critical? This might look like blaming ourselves for something that isn’t completely our responsibility or being overly critical of our abilities in different areas of life. We might find ourselves saying “I can’t do anything right”, or “I’m not good enough”.
This pattern of thinking which we call self-criticism is an unhelpful thinking style that every person may engage in from time to time. Unhelpful thinking styles can also become automatic habits that individuals may not realise they are engaging in. This becomes problematic when these thoughts cause an increase in anxiety and decrease in mood. When this happens regularly and consistently this may have a detrimental impact on an individual’s social, academic, occupational and personal life. It is common in anxiety disorders and depressive disorders that an individual’s symptoms may be maintained by unhelpful thinking styles such as critical self.
Being aware of and evaluating our strengths and weaknesses can have many benefits for self-development. When we take a self-critical viewpoint, however, we may have trouble thinking about what strengths we have and find ourselves focusing on weaknesses that may or may not be there. This becomes problematic when it negatively impacts our self-esteem and self-confidence.
If you are somebody who may notice yourself having self-critical thoughts, there are ways in which we can begin to filter our thoughts. This can help us determine whether the thought is realistic and fair which may alleviate some distress that the thought caused. It can be helpful to write the thought down, then ask yourself:
The internal bully’s at it again, would someone who really knows me say this about me? It can be helpful to consider what we might say to a friend in a similar position.
When we are stressed or tired, we may be more prone to engaging in unhelpful thinking styles such as self-criticism. This can be managed by maintaining self-care strategies particularly during times of stress which may include, exercise, relaxation activities, stress relieving techniques and mindfulness.
When we begin to pay more attention to this pattern of thinking we can get better at stopping it in its tracks!