Do you ever feel like you have more than one voice in your head and that often one part of you would like one thing and another part of you disagree with it? That’s because you do! We all have different parts /sub-personalities of our psyche that affect how we think, feel, and behave. In a healthy psyche they all work together as one big friendly team, but in an unhealthy psyche or when we are a subject of trauma our sub-personalities can be very much in a conflict pulling each other to different sides making us feel even worse than we do. In this blog post, we are going to touch on the different sub-personalities that exist within us and how they can affect our lives. We will also provide tips on how to manage these voices and stay in control of our own minds!
What Are Sub-Personalities?
The first step in managing voices in your head is to understand what they are. Sub-personalities are different aspects of our personality that exist within us. They can be based on our emotions, thoughts, memories, or even physical sensations. Each sub-personality has its own unique set of beliefs, values, and behaviors.
There are many different sub-personalities that can exist within us, but here are some of the most common ones:
1. The Critic (Poison Parrot)
The Critic is the part of our personality that is always critical and judgmental. It often focuses on our mistakes and flaws and can be very destructive. The Critic has no true facts behind its words and it can affect us in the worst possible ways.
Please read the full article here
How Can It Affect You?
The Critic can be very damaging to our self-esteem and confidence. It can cause us to feel constantly inadequate and unworthy. The Critic can also prevent us from taking risks and pursuing our goals, as it is always quick to point out the potential for failure.
How To Manage It?
The first step in managing The Critic is to become aware of its presence. Once you are aware of The Critic’s voice, you can start to question its judgments and assumptions. You can also give yourself permission to make mistakes and accept that you are not perfect. It is also important to have healthy self-esteem and a supportive network of friends and family who will build you up, not tear you down.
2. The Perfectionist
The Perfectionist is the part of our personality that is always striving for excellence. It can be very demanding and often leads to a lot of stress and anxiety.
How Can It Affect You?
The Perfectionist can be very harmful to our mental and physical health. It can cause us to feel constantly overwhelmed and stressed out. The perfectionist can also lead to obsessive-compulsive behaviours and eating disorders.
How To Manage It?
The best way to manage the Perfectionist is to give it some boundaries. Set realistic goals for yourself, and don’t expect perfection from yourself or others. Try to take some time for yourself each day to relax and de-stress. And, most importantly, be kind to yourself.
3. The Victim
The Victim is the part of our personality that believes that life is always unfair and out to get them. They often feel powerless and helpless in the face of adversity.
How Can It Affect You?
The Victim can be very destructive to our lives. It can cause us to feel constantly defeated and overwhelmed. The Victim can also lead to depression and anxiety.
How To Manage It?
The best way to manage the victim is to give it some power. Start by taking control of your own life and making decisions for yourself. Don’t rely on others to make decisions for you. Next, find a support system of friends or family who will listen to you and offer encouragement. Finally, practice self-compassion and be gentle with yourself when things don’t go your way.
4. The Rebel
The Rebel is the part of our personality that resists authority and convention. It often feels the need to break the rules and stand up against anyone or anything it perceives as being oppressive.
How Can It Affect You?
The Rebel can be very disruptive to our lives. It can cause us to act out in destructive ways and make bad decisions. The Rebel can also lead to problems with authority and difficulty following rules.
How To Manage It?
The best way to manage The Rebel is to give it some structure. Help it find a cause or purpose that it can believe in and support. Encourage it to express its rebelliousness in healthy ways, such as through art, music, or activism. Finally, teach it how to compromise and work with others.
5. The Caregiver
The Caregiver is the part of our personality that is always nurturing and supportive. It often feels the need to take care of others and make them happy.
How Can It Affect You?
The Caregiver can be very beneficial to our lives. It can cause us to be more compassionate and understanding of others. The caregiver can also lead to a strong sense of empathy and altruism.
How To Manage It?
The best way to manage The Caregiver is to give it some time for itself. Encourage it to take care of itself and its own needs. The Caregiver can also benefit from practicing self-compassion. Finally, find someone who can provide emotional support and care.
6. The Explorer
The Explorer is the part of our personality that is always curious and seeking new experiences. It often feels the need to explore and learn about the world around them.
How Can It Affect You?
The Explorer can be very beneficial to our lives. It can cause us to be more open-minded and adventurous. The Explorer can also lead to a strong sense of curiosity and creativity.
How To Manage It?
The best way to manage the Explorer is to give it some freedom. Encourage it to explore new things and take risks. The Explorer can also benefit from practicing mindfulness. Finally, provide it with a safe and supportive environment in which to explore.
7. The Pleaser
This Pleaser is more unhelpful than helpful. We all want to be liked and loved and we can very often be scared to say ‘no’ to offend people. So, we would say ‘yes’ and do things, get overworked, and used. We would do it for other people but to the detriment of ourselves.
There would be a lot more parts or subpersonalities and some of them would be hidden from us. We learn about ourselves every day. It is important to notice the dialogs of these voices in our heads and understand which ones are healthy and helpful for us and which ones cause damage.
In the pats therapy, I teach my clients how to recognize the unhealthy voices and how to decrease them in size and volume. The other way around we notice the strong, positive, healthy parts and we learn to make them our primary parts, so we feel happier and healthier.
Some Important Tips
So, how do we go about managing these voices in our heads? Here are a few important tips:
- Start by recognizing that these parts of our personality exist. Acknowledge them and give them names.
- Understand what each part of your personality represents and what it wants for you.
- Pay attention to how these voices are affecting your life. Notice when they are helpful and when they are not.
- Start by giving the negative voices less power. Replace them with more positive voices whenever possible.
- Be kind to yourself. Accept that you are not perfect and that you will make mistakes from time to time.
- Seek professional help if you feel like you are unable to manage your voices on your own.
Please watch this video to understand more on this subject.
Conclusion
Our personalities are complex and made up of many different voices or parts. These voices can be helpful or harmful, depending on the circumstances. It is important to understand these voices and learn how to manage them effectively. With practice, you can learn to live a more peaceful and harmonious life.
If you feel that you can’t manage them and feel conflicted with your parts of your psyche in that case it would be great to have parts therapy to make them work with you rather than against you