Ignoring Our Inner Voice

As people struggling with addictions and mental health issues, so much of what we do on a regular basis drowns out our connection to our intuition or inner voice. Oftentimes we are covering it up with our drugs of choice and addictive behaviors. Our addictive thought patterns and limiting beliefs can be so loud and disturbing that they essentially overpower our inner voice. Oftentimes it is really difficult to hear our inner voice, other times we choose to ignore it. Sometimes we’re in denial or prideful. Sometimes we’re naïve and haven’t yet learned how vital it is not to ignore our instincts. Sometimes we’re so embarrassed and ashamed of our addictions and mental health issues that we don’t want to hear what our inner voice has to say. Sometimes we’re simply afraid to face our truth.

It can be hard to recognize our inner voice amongst all the competing thoughts in our minds, most of which can be negative and self-destructive. We find ourselves totally preoccupied with criticizing ourselves and others, passing judgments and beating ourselves up. Our minds have a tendency to be dominated by thoughts of our worst fears. We develop limiting beliefs that reinforce these fears and convince us that they are true.

When we are caught in cycles of addiction, depression, anxiety and/or abuse, our intuition will sometimes feel like a persistent, nagging voice constantly reminding us of the harsh realities of what we’re going through, and imploring us to do what is best for ourselves. We might hear it telling us to get help, to leave that person who is abusing us, to prioritize our safety, to quit using. We tend to ignore it because it contradicts what we think we want in that moment- the drug or relationship or compulsion that we have become dependent upon.

Over time that voice gets louder and more forcefully persistent. The more we ignore it, the more depressed we become. We know we’re avoiding the truth, and we often feel a growing sense of fear and dread anticipating the moment when the truth finally catches up with us. We might feel frustrated with ourselves for being in this situation. We often feel a combination of all kinds of difficult emotions, including but not limited to sadness, shame, overwhelm and confusion, all of which can make us to want to ignore our inner voice even more because we’re not yet willing to face the painful truth.

If you’re living with addictions and mental health issues, it can be hard to know where to turn for support. Enlightened Solutions has years of experience helping people recover. Call (833) 801-LIVE.