The Addicted Mind Podcast

TAM+ EP82 Putting Your Inner Critic on Trial: Rewiring Your Brain's Negative Voice

Aug 21, 2025
Ever wonder if your harshest critic is yourself? The hosts dive into how your inner critic distorts self-worth, especially during recovery from addiction and trauma. Learn powerful Cognitive Behavioral Therapy techniques to challenge negative thoughts like 'I'm a failure.' They discuss cognitive distortions and provide practical exercises to shift your mindset. This isn't about denying your feelings but finding balance and compassion in self-talk. Discover how to transform your inner dialogue and promote personal growth!
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INSIGHT

Inner Critic Is A Trusted Liar

  • The inner critic often lives in our own head and presents automatic negative thoughts as facts.
  • Duane and Eric call these "ants" that march in and we treat them like carved-in-stone truths.
INSIGHT

Mistakes Become Identity In Recovery

  • In addiction and trauma recovery the inner critic becomes especially vicious and turns mistakes into identity labels.
  • That shift from "I failed" to "I am a failure" fuels shame and relapse triggers.
INSIGHT

Emotions Don’t Equal Facts

  • Emotional reasoning makes feelings feel like facts, causing devastating cycles of shame and escape.
  • Strong emotions bias our judgment and create self-fulfilling patterns that worsen addiction recovery.
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