It’s not like my inner critic is special. Like many people, the inner critic is a natural part of our psyche. It helps us to improve, to set standards, to avoid complacency.

Mine is just… Over developed. Too loud. It grew to protect me more than I needed to be protected. In essence, it’s become more of a helicopter parent than any parent can physically be. It remains with me night and day, without any boundaries.

That’s why sometimes I feel helpless before it, especially when it gets mixed up with voices from my past.

It also strikes out at others because of the frustration that I can’t meet those standards – because someone else I’m responsible for has gotten in my way. That’s when I start to strike out – harmfully.

No excuses. It’s harmful. But it’s partly why anger is a part of depression. (There’re many other reasons for anger in depression, and this is just one of them.)