Guilt is a common and regular emotion; it can affect us in a significant way both emotionally and mentally. We have all felt a sense of guilt on more than one occasion because we always think that we have done everything wrong or simply that we should do something in due time, and we did not do it.
Positive guilt is what helps us understand when we have acted poorly or behaved badly. It gives us the opportunity to see what is wrong, correct our actions or attitudes and in that way learn from what has happened to us.
Negative guilt makes us focus only on things we may have done wrong. We usually grieve for how bad we feel, but may make no effort to improve. We only remember and relive that situation again and again, and that can cause emotional problems.
What do I do if I feel guilty?
We must accept responsibility for our actions. In case we have offended a person, or there is a bad outcome for another person, we must understand that we made a mistake and apologize or make it up to them so that we can be at peace with ourselves. Also examining why we feel guilty might help. Was there harm done by the words and actions that cause the emotion? If not, is the guilt necessary?
What to do when we have a negative feeling of guilt?
The "negative" fault is an imbalance of perception in which we feel guilty for something we are not really responsible for, or we feel that we are to blame for everything, and even for something we have not yet done.
All human beings want to avoid the feeling of guilt, because it is a feeling that easily leads us to sadness, self-pity, shame, remorse and potentially depression. Some people may feel tormented by guilt, which prevents them from enjoying life, taking on challenges, making decisions or moving forward in their lives.
What are the negative and positive aspects of the feeling of guilt?
Feeling a bit guilty is natural, although it is best not to feel guilty but responsible for something we have done.
It is normal to feel bad when we believe that we have hurt someone, and it is useful to push us to improve the relationship or simply minimize the damage caused. However when guilt invades us, and we begin to feel bad about ourselves for what we have done or thought we have done, it can be a problem.
Negative aspects:
If we are not able to take responsibility for what we believe we are doing wrong and act against it, guilt becomes a barrier that limits our ability to be happy and peaceful.
Recurrent guilt makes us focus on how badly we may have behaved, making us believe that we do not deserve to be happy.
The tendency to feel guilty causes constant and unnecessary stress that seriously affects our self-esteem.
Positive aspects:
When we realize our bad behaviour, we can reconsider and correct what is not right in our loves or attitude.
It favours the repair of damages and the taking of measures so that this does not happen again and in this way improve our relationships with people.
It helps us to realize the mistakes we are making and take our mistakes as a lesson to be a better person.
How to free ourselves from the feeling of guilt?
We must evaluate ourselves, identify what we are doing wrong or our behavior towards other people to be able to change it.
Analyze the situation and make sure we are really guilty of what happened.
Accept when we make a mistake and sincerely apologize.
Take time to relax and release excess stress, as it is one of the causes of emotional imbalances.
We must understand that we are not perfect and that we are not exempt from making mistakes or failing.
Can we reduce or get rid of guilt?
Everyone at some point we will have a feeling of guilt, but it does not mean that we should live with that forever. It is something that every human being keeps retained in our mind, and only we can free ourselves from it to live happily.
Hypnosis is effective in releasing any type of problem that prevents a harmonious and happy life, as well as for personal improvement through the modification of some thoughts. It is a therapeutic method characterized by a procedure in which the client presents a greater suggestiveness, which makes it easier to face and overcome any situation that is limiting to calmness. This state of relaxation and total concentration helps to understand situations and see them from a much simpler perspective.