Fighting with my Inner Dialogue
Challenging Limiting Beliefs - What Would my Therapist Think?
Today feels worse
Emotions are strangling my throat
Feelings are sitting like an elephant on my chest
I feel worthless
I feel useless
Like this is all for nothing
Like he was right after all
I’ll never amount to anything.
Broken,
Silent,
Miserable.
My wings don’t feel strong enough to fly me out of the depths of the Hell I’m in.
The thoughts in my head are drowning me
The sunlight is bearing down on me
But the darkness surrounding me is chilling to the bone.
Don’t make a sound
Hold it in
Try not to scream out
Try to hold in all the pain
~
I don’t know what I’m trying to prove
I don’t know who I’m trying to impress
I’m just so tired
And feel like I’m struggling to recognize my own strengths versus the trauma
I’m struggling to breathe
My body’s too tight with tension
And the weight on my chest is suffocating
It feels like I’ve died a little more inside
Like my heart is bleeding
And there’s nothing to stop the flow.
Pain is spreading across my chest
Radiating out from the knife that been slammed into my heart
~
My problem comes from this inner turmoil.
I’ve constantly questioning my worth
My value
Wondering if I’ll ever beat those stupid words.
My condition is nothing new.
I have such little belief in everything
I don’t want to feel sick anymore
I don’t want to feel down and out.
It’s hard to take these limited beliefs
And challenge their existence
~
-Where do you feel this in your body? -
Everywhere…
There’s tension in my shoulders
There’s tightness in my neck
But worst of all is this radiating pain in the center of my chest
- Are you breathing? -
I’m breathing
I’m calm
But on the inside, I’m a hot ball of wire
Sparking and pushing itself to start the fire
-Why do you think you feel the pain there? –
Stress makes my body hurt
Being overwhelmed makes me anxious
Anxiety makes me tense
Am I on repeat?
-What emotions are associated with the limiting beliefs? –
I feel my sarcasm building
Which emotion do I not feel?
I want to ask
I feel them all, it seems
Fear,
Shame,
Guilt,
Sadness,
Hopelessness,
Frustration,
Insecurity,
Self-doubt,
Anxiety
Good grief…I’m a ticking emotional time bomb!
~
-How is the limited belief connected to the emotion? –
Do I have to answer?
Do I know how to answer?
I don’t complete certain things or tasks out of fear.
I don’t look in the mirror because of horrible shame.
I feel guilt when I let others down.
I feel sadness when I’ve reached my max.
My cup’s less than half.
How much more can I give?
That’s the hopelessness
The thoughts of never being able to give to others,
Of never being able to crawl out of that deep grave/
I’m frustrated because of the hopelessness, shame, and guilt.
I sigh so loudly,
I feel the frustration setting in
My future, my finances, my life is full of insecurities
I have so much self-doubt
From experienced traumas.
I just need one of those long hugs from a friend or family member to ease the anxiety
Ease it just enough so I can feel again
All I feel is pain
Tears are pouring out of me.
My nose is running.
Will I ever feel better?
~
Tell me about the emotions.
The pain twinges
My chest tightens
Memories flash across my mind like firecrackers exploding
I try to ground myself.
I try to let my eyes flit from object to object.
I try to feel the texture of the chair beneath me
I pull my toes inward and feel the texture of my sock against my toes.
Anything to help me
It’s too quiet in this space
I feel too nervous,
Like I just can’t find the will to sit still
I feel the anger stewing
The tension brewing
As more thoughts cross my mind
Damn this ADHD
Damn it and the anxiety
To hell with this depression and pain
~
There’s no therapist
There’s no office to sit snuggly in
There’s just the space in my mind
The weird room that’s oddly cool, calm, and collected
When I’m upset or frustrated
I tend to sit
To try to disconnect and not feel the emotions
While I’m sitting calmly
My mind is having an all-out war
There’s fire and chaos
I try to cope with it all
But it feels so lonely
About the Creator
Alisha Wilkins ✒️🦋🖋️
I've been writing my whole life. Writing about realms to escape in, forbidden characters to fall in love with, and using writing as my muse and refuge. Recently, I've delved into the mind...mine and others. Happy Reading. Wishing you well.


Comments (11)
The way you describe the war happening inside while you sit so calmly on the outside... it's such a perfect picture of what it's like. I'm so sorry you're going through this.
The specific questions you ask yourself in this poem have been embedded in my brain from so many years of CBT and DBT that I can relate so hard to this piece. Well done bringing the thoughts to the open in a way that's beautiful and poignant. Congrats on earning Top Story too!
I relate to so much of this! Very well done!
Gosh, how much I can relate to this! Sending you hugs and love! Disconnection creates the loneliness (for me at least) and it mends by connecting to the Self, but it's the hardest thing ever.
Anxiety is a real phenomenon and occurs more and more in young people. I know that often our body needs our mind to slow down so that it can reflect at the moment. We can make some changes however if depression is a diagnosis that is easier said than done. May you find some comfort within and a good friend to share with. I wish you better days.
I completely relate. Thank you for sharing!
Story of my life lol! I loved all the questions throughout which I’ve always been asked by practitioners. This was a nice touch. I’m sorry you have been feeling this way. Excellent heartfelt piece! 😊
Hi we are featuring your excellent Top Story in our Community Adventure Thread in The Vocal Social Society on Facebook and would love for you to join us there
good story i really appreciate you
This was so raw and honest. The way you captured the tug-of-war between pain, self-doubt, and the small attempts at grounding felt very real and relatable. Thank you for putting such vulnerable emotions into words — it makes others feel less alone.
Writing is great therapy and this captures the feeling so well, big hugs