Dear likecrystal:

“I’m not sure what comes first – the stress or the voice“- in the beginning, stress came first and then you heard the voice. Later, stress comes before the voice, but after you hear the voice, you become more stressed. So, stress comes before and after the voice.

The inner critic is formed in us around the age of five or so, when we hear the adults in our lives criticizing us. Their external criticism becomes internalized in our brain.

Adults’ criticism of children should be limited to real wrongdoings (ex. hitting another child) and delivered gently, so that the child’s inner critic will be similar. But when a parent criticizes a child harshly, and/ or for behaviors that are not wrong- the child’s inner critic follows suit.

Is there any way for you to seek counseling/ psychotherapy so to talk to a professional about the voice and your stress?

anita