GUILT

Causes

Guilt arises from fear. Generalized, constant guilt can be a result of low self-esteem or excessive self-criticism. People who are dissatisfied with themselves tend to assign themselves full responsibility for any setbacks. They may even blame themselves for other people’s failures. Living with false guilt is usually a result of childhood experiences—lack of love and acceptance from parents, their overly judgmental attitudes, and excessively high expectations. The burden of such experiences can cause various types of mental disorders—neuroses and personality disorders. Anankastic personality, for example, tends toward morbid perfectionism, and the slightest deviation from the inflated standards it sets for itself drives it into neurotic guilt, even though its actions do not harm anyone.

Guilt that is disproportionate to the degree of actual responsibility can also develop in people who are normally self-confident—as a result of crises, unpleasant or even traumatic events, such as the death of a family member, the breakup of a marriage, or the loss of a job. Feelings of guilt also accompany depression or alcoholism, and they may develop in people who suffer from chronic conditions and need constant care from loved ones. It also occurs in anxiety disorders, low self-esteem, and personality disorders. Guilt sometimes becomes a defense mechanism in the face of life’s failures. In addition, guilt is often accompanied by various mental health problems, such as loneliness, marital crises, alcoholism, drug addiction, infidelity, disturbances of habits and drives, or difficulties related to midlife, etc.

Excessive guilt can be one of the symptoms of:

• depression
• anxiety disorders
• low self-esteem
• personality disorders.

It occurs when, even though we have done nothing wrong to another person, even if the matter was trivial, it continues to haunt us. The feeling is usually illogical and unreasonable—it is simply irrational.

Symptoms

Pathological guilt can go in two extreme directions—either ignoring moral principles and social norms, leading to pathological behavior such as fighting, vandalism, theft, etc., or, on the other hand, an overly strict conscience that gives rise to excessive guilt, anxiety, and exaggerated responsibility for one’s own actions, which may contribute to self-destructive behavior such as self-harm and self-injury.

Pathological guilt has a negative impact on an individual’s functioning. It takes away their energy and joy in life, reduces decisiveness and motivation, and leads to psychosomatic disorders. In extreme cases, it may become a cause of auto-aggression and even suicide. Therefore, this emotional state absolutely requires therapy. People affected by excessive guilt are usually advised to undergo cognitive behavioral therapy. It teaches us to identify logical errors in our own way of thinking and to objectively assess situations associated with remorse. This helps distinguish events for which one can be held responsible from events beyond one’s control. A useful element of this type of therapy is relaxation, meditation, or self-affirmation training—making it easier to cope with emotional tension

Treatment

People affected by excessive guilt are usually advised to undergo cognitive behavioral therapy. It teaches us to identify logical errors in our own way of thinking and to objectively assess situations associated with remorse. This helps distinguish events for which one can be held responsible from events beyond one’s control. A useful element of this type of therapy is relaxation, meditation, or self-affirmation training—to help cope with emotional tension. In addition to therapy, anti-anxiety tablets are also used.