Transparency first—this was not my original idea, but I was absolutely fascinated by it. If you could safely sit down with the Devil and ask him one question—"How would you keep people from healing?"—what do you think he would say? And more importantly, how could we use that information as both a shield and an antidote?
Let’s dive into this deep thought experiment.
I sat across from the Devil, and he smirked, pleased that I even asked. "Easy," he said, "I’d do these 10 things…"
1. Keep Them Distracted & Busy
"I’d make sure they’re always too busy. I’d keep them glued to their screens, drowning in obligations, or numbing out so they never actually process their pain. No stillness = no healing."
🌿 The Antidote: Intentional quiet moments. Slow walks, journaling, meditation—space where healing can actually happen.
2. Convince Them It’s Just Who They Are
"I’d make sure they believe their wounds define them. ‘You’re just an anxious person. You’ll never change. This is just who you are.’ If they think their pain is their identity, they’ll never try to heal it."
🌿 The Antidote: Separate struggle from identity. You are not your trauma; you are someone who has experienced it—but healing is possible.
3. Make Them Feel Alone
"I’d whisper in their ear, ‘No one understands you. No one cares. You’re better off keeping it all to yourself.’ Because isolation is where suffering thrives."
🌿 The Antidote: Connection. Speak your truth, find your people, and allow yourself to be supported.
4. Get Them Addicted to Quick Fixes
"Healing takes time, and I hate that. So I’d keep them hooked on quick hits—alcohol, food, relationships, shopping, scrolling—anything to numb the pain temporarily, so they never actually deal with it."
🌿 The Antidote: Mindful awareness. Recognize coping mechanisms and choose long-term healing over short-term relief.
5. Make Healing Seem Woo-Woo or Impossible
"I’d convince them healing is either nonsense (‘That’s just new-age fluff’) or too hard (‘You’ll never actually be okay, so why bother?’). I want them cynical or hopeless—either one works for me."
🌿 The Antidote: Stay open. Healing is real. Growth is real. Seek evidence, not excuses.
6. Hook Them on Comparison
"I’d flood their world with highlight reels of perfect lives, so they always feel behind. ‘Look at her, she’s got it together. Why can’t you be like that?’ If they’re stuck in comparison, they’ll never focus on their own healing."
🌿 The Antidote: Stay in your own lane. Your journey is yours alone—focus on your progress, not someone else's.
7. Keep Them Trapped in the Past
"I’d make sure their worst moments play on repeat. Regret. Resentment. Bitterness. I’d convince them the past defines them so they stay stuck instead of moving forward."
🌿 The Antidote: Acceptance. Learn from the past but don’t live there. Healing happens in the present.
8. Tell Them They Need Permission to Heal
"I’d plant the idea that healing can’t happen until the people who hurt them apologize. That way, they stay waiting… and waiting… and waiting. Stuck forever."
🌿 The Antidote: Take ownership. You don’t need anyone’s permission to heal. Closure is an inside job.
9. Label Growth as Selfish
"If they start setting boundaries? I’d make sure they feel guilty. If they prioritize their healing? I’d have people call them ‘selfish’ or say they’ve ‘changed.’ I want them trapped in toxic patterns out of obligation."
🌿 The Antidote: Recognize that self-care is not selfish. You can’t pour from an empty cup.
10. Make Them Doubt Their Own Power
"And my favorite trick? I’d make them forget how powerful they are. I’d fill them with doubt, fear, and distraction just before they break through—because the moment they realize their strength? I lose."
🌿 The Antidote: Own your power. You are capable, strong, and worthy of healing. The moment you recognize the game, you stop playing by its rules and you win.
🔥 The moment you SEE these traps, you start breaking free. Awareness is the shield. Action is the antidote.
So, now that you know the Devil’s game plan, the real question is: Which one of these has tried to keep you stuck? And which antidote are you choosing today?
Let’s talk about it in the comments. 👇
Great share. I heard very similar on a dudes podcast this week. I wonder if that was your inspiration. I love how you've worded it and offered antidotes.
I'll add an 11th. Convince them Gods not real or doesn't care. That way they feel lost, abandoned and hopeless and alone. Antidote. Know you are loved and cherished by your creator and He's stronger than Satan and wants to heal and love on ya.