When the monster under the bed lives in your head

Hello! Welcome to another edition of ABC of Mental Health, your partner in the journey to better well-being.

As kids, we feared monsters under the bed. As adults, those monsters often move into our heads—showing up as self-doubt, anxiety, or guilt. The good news? Just like childhood fears, these inner monsters lose power when we shine a light on them. This week, we’ll explore how to meet them with curiosity, humor, and compassion—so they stop running the show.

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One relevant recommendation:

Monster Mapping Exercise

Facing your head-monster doesn’t mean fighting it – it means getting to know it.

• Sketch or describe it: What does your monster look like? (Maybe it’s grumpy, wears too-tight shoes, or just needs a nap.)
  

• Name it: “The Perfectionism Dragon,” “Sir Doomscroll,” or “The What-If Wizard.” Giving it a character can shrink the fear.
  

• Ask it gently: “What are you trying to protect me from?”
  

• Remind yourself: I’m the one holding the flashlight. I see the monster; I don’t have to become it.. 

Two Quotes on Safety & Connection:

Pioneering psychoanalyst Carl Jung, on making the invisible visible:

“Until you make the unconscious conscious, it will direct your life and you will call it fate.”

Author Elizabeth Gilbert, on coexisting with fear:

“Fear is boring, because it only ever has one thing to say: stop. Fear doesn’t want you to go anywhere, do anything, or grow. That’s all it knows.”

Three TherapyShorts from TST

1. Naming the Monster

   Fear often feels overwhelming and endless—like a shadow that stretches far beyond our reach. But when we pause to identify it, to truly name what we’re experiencing, its power begins to shrink. Giving fear a name like “self-doubt,” “the inner critic,” or even something more personal and symbolic, makes it less mysterious and more manageable. It becomes a part of us we can understand rather than an invisible force controlling us. So ask yourself: what form does your monster usually take? And what name could you give it that would help take away some of its weight?

2. Sitting Beside, Not Inside

   Our inner monsters—like anxiety, fear, or shame—thrive when we fully believe their stories and let them define our reality. They grow stronger when we climb inside their narrative and lose sight of ourselves. But there’s power in stepping back, in noticing their presence without merging with them. Instead of becoming the fear, we can say, “I see you, Worry Monster. You’re loud today.” That small shift creates space and freedom. We’re not denying its presence—we’re just choosing not to follow it under the bed. The key is staying beside the feeling, not letting it swallow us whole.
   

3. Compassion for the Monster

   Many of our inner monsters weren’t always monsters. They often began as protectors—formed in moments of fear, rejection, or pain. Though their methods may now feel harsh or limiting, their original purpose was to keep us safe. When we meet them with compassion instead of resistance, something begins to shift. Saying, “Thank you for trying to protect me, but I’m safe now,” can soften their grip. What if your fear, doubt, or perfectionism was actually a nervous ally doing its best? Seeing it this way transforms the battle into a dialogue—and opens space for healing and growth.

A QUICK QUESTION…

Which “monster” visits your head most often?? Vote here!

Last week, we asked when you walk into a room full of people, what is your usual body language, and the responses were… (drumroll please)…

With care and compassion,

The Social Therapist

P.S. Is it just me?

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