Many people experience difficulties with self-esteem and confidence, even when they appear confident, successful, or well-adjusted to the external world. A person’s inner critic can play a significant role in shaping one’s identity and sense of self. This inner critic can be like a nagging voice that questions each decision and undermines each accomplishment, and it can leave a person with difficult feelings such as shame, inadequacy, or guilt.

The inner critic is largely a concept in popular psychology, not an academic psychological term. However, it is similar in some ways to the Freudian superego, which acts as a conscience. The inner critic generally has more negative connotations than the superego, however, and typically serves to undermine accomplishments rather than encourage appropriate behavior and obedience to cultural norms.

People tend to develop self-criticism as a result of their life experiences which may include social, cultural, and familial influences. In some cases self-criticism may be a symptom of a diagnosable mental health condition.