Guilt is an aversive emotion that—like shame and embarrassment —arises from a self-conscious reflection on one's behavior. It differs from shame by its focus. Guilt involves feeling bad about doing something wrong or harmful or not living up to one's values; shame encompasses the whole of self-worth , making you feel bad about who you are.
How to Cope With Guilt
Feeling guilty after a misdeed is normal. It is best resolved by apologizing and taking steps to make amends. But many feel guilt that is disproportionate to the harm they have caused. In such cases, it may be necessary to reflect on the reasons for one’s feelings of guilt—perhaps in conversation with a counselor or therapist, especially when an underlying mental health condition may be involved.
Although pervasive feelings of guilt are not necessarily a sign of an underlying mental health condition, they can be. Widely used criteria in the diagnosis of major depressive disorder and bipolar disorder include the presence of regular feelings of excessive or inappropriate guilt. Guilt plays a role in other disorders as well, notably obsessive-compulsive disorder and anxiety. Guilt may be related to over-assuming responsibility for events or repeatedly thinking about minor failures, even those that are not actually within a person’s control.
Yes. Someone may feel survivor's guilt despite bearing no responsibility for circumstances that have harmed others. People with certain kinds of mental illness may feel unwarranted guilt as part of their condition, such as guilt for having “bad” intrusive thoughts, in the case of obsessive-compulsive disorder .
When guilt stems from something you did to someone, apologizing and seeking to avoid repeating your behavior is one clear way to respond and could help you achieve self-forgiveness . But sometimes guilt is unrelated to actual misbehavior or becomes counterproductive. Remedies for unnecessary guilt may include reflecting on factors that were beyond your control, acknowledging what you know now that you didn’t in the past, and considering whether your standards for yourself are too unforgiving.
Explore More About Guilt
For a comprehensive understanding of guilt, read our complete guide: