Tristan Sophia, Psy.D.
March-April 2018 • Vol 3, No 97
Dear Dr. Sophia, My friends tell me that I put myself down all the time. I have finally realized that, not only do I talk badly about myself to others, I also say mean things to myself in my head! I’m 36 years old and I’ve been doing this for probably 25 years. I want to stop being so self-critical but I don’t even know where to start. —HC
Dear HC, It’s absolutely possible to stop negative self-talk! We all have an inner voice but some of us have one that’s more critical than kind. Not only can you learn to silence your inner critic, you can learn to say kind things to yourself (and believe them). What’s challenging is that it’s an ingrained habit. We get so used to our thoughts, we barely notice what we say to ourselves.