Poorly Written Self-Image | The Problem of Internal Projection

Internal projection is a psychological defense mechanism where unconscious desires, fears, and unresolved emotions are imposed onto your psyche's Instinctual Consciousness, distorting your self-image. Often shaped by past trauma, internal projections create a false narrative that disconnects you from your authentic self. By identifying and rescripting these projections, you can reclaim your true identity and foster personal growth.

Have you ever felt like your life story isn’t truly your own? Maybe you’ve found yourself trapped in self-doubt, overwhelmed by a distorted sense of who you are, or constantly living out a narrative shaped by past trauma and external influences. These feelings are not random—they stem from a psychological defense mechanism known as internal projection.

The good news? You have the power to rewrite this story. In this article, we’ll uncover the truth behind internal projection and how it creates a distorted self-image that blocks your path to personal growth. By identifying and confronting these projections, you can break free from shallow narratives and reconnect with your true self. This process isn’t just about awareness—it’s about authenticity and transformation.

Understanding Internal Projection: How Our Mind Distorts Our Self-Image

Internal Projection is a psychological defense mechanism where the egoic mind unconsciously imposes its own desires, fears, and unresolved emotions onto the psyche's Instinctual Conscience, creating a warped self-image or narrative. This process is like someone writing a story about their life, but instead of using the authentic voice found in their Instinctual Consciousness, they project distorted fantasies—often rooted in past trauma or unmet needs—onto their internal world. These projections become the unexamined "scripts" that we live by, shaping how we perceive ourselves and the world around us.

"Internal projection distorts the story of our lives, preventing us from seeing the true plot—our authentic selves and our potential for growth."

The Distorted Narrative: A Mess of Clichés

Imagine reading a piece of writing that is riddled with crummy, turgid, verbose, and abstract language—an impenetrable mess that hides the real story. Not only is it difficult to follow, but it is also filled with technical jargon, superficial allusions, psychological clichés, or spiritual bromides like “just trust the process” or “everything happens for a reason.”

These hollow phrases mask the deeper emotional stories and narratives our psyche is trying to communicate to us through dreams, fantasies, and the symptoms of our life. This crummy way of thinking prevents us from hearing the psyche’s real story underneath, and engaging with the world around us. This is what internal projection does: it creates a distorted narrative of who we are, filled with shallow platitudes that keep us from connecting to our authentic instincts and deeper emotions.

This false sense of self, also dissociates us from really living in the present.

"Much like an overly complex or shallowly spiritual piece of writing, internal projection blocks us from seeing the real plot of our lives."

The Distortion of Self: When Trauma Writes Story

When we are caught in internal projection, it’s as if our personal story is being written by someone else—someone who hasn't experienced our true history but instead distorts our past by projecting their own fears, anxieties, and trauma onto every aspect of our narrative. This can lead us to adopt a distorted sense of inadequacy or an inflated sense of self-importance, usually both. This masks the authentic emotions and instincts beneath the surface. These false narratives act as a smokescreen that keeps us from confronting deeper, unresolved emotional wounds.

"We continue to live out scripts tangled with self-doubt, shame, or fear—narratives that were never meant to be ours in the first place."

Overcoming Superficial Scripts

This warped "writing" of our identity leads to a fractured self-image that bears little resemblance to who we truly are. Instead of embracing the clarity and authenticity of our inner voice, we continue to live out scripts that are tangled with self-doubt, shame, or fear—narratives that were never meant to be ours in the first place. Just as actual crummy, abstract prose blocks the communication of a real story, internal projection blocks our ability to experience our real selves and engage in genuine personal growth.

"Internal projection traps us in shallow self-concepts and blocks real emotional engagement, making it nearly impossible to access the deeper layers of our emotional consciousness."

Rescripting the Story of Our Lives

Instinctual Rescripting is a principle that can address how we interact with our psyche. Instinctual Rescripting allows us to uncover and rewrite the maladaptive narratives formed by trauma and emotional wounds, we have the power to reframe the entire previous story made by the Internal projection. By recognizing and confronting internal projection, we can replace these distorted narratives—full of empty platitudes and misguided spiritual or psychological certainties—with ones that are more adaptive, authentic, and grounded in our true self and an identity that can be reality-tested.

About the Author

Michael C Walker, a chaplain at Jaguar Marigold Chapel, combines Christian Mysticism, Depth Psychology, Affective Neuroscience, Classical Studies, and Dream Mapping to delve into the human psyche. With 20+ years of experience, he pioneers the fusion of spiritual wisdom and scientific exploration. His innovative approach to Complex Trauma (C-PTSD) provides insights for Self-Analysis, divine purpose, and authenticity.