confront one's demons

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confront one's demons (third-person singular simple present confronts one's demons, present participle confronting one's demons, simple past and past participle confronted one's demons)

1. (idiomatic) To work through past experiences that have left emotional scars.
   • 2017 January 19, Peter Bradshaw, “T2 Trainspotting review – choose a sequel that doesn't disappoint”, in the Guardian‎:

     But a personal and almost menopausal crisis brings him back to an Edinburgh he hardly recognises. As if in a Sergio Leone film, Renton has an obscure need to return, to confront the demons of his past, in particular the three guys he ripped off after a drug deal at the end of the last story.

• face one's demons
• meet one's demons