How can one overcome a guilty feeling? Therapist offers advice

We often find ourselves in situations where we might experience intense emotions for an extended length of time. Guilt is one such feeling that is mostly focused on taking action. It often forces us to make positive adjustments so we don’t repeat our past errors. “Guilt may motivate you to make changes in your life by acting as a useful moral compass. On the other hand, excessive or unreasonable guilt may be harmful as it can cause emotional pain and self-doubt. Navigating this complex emotion requires an understanding of the nature of guilt, its cultural and social effects, and its function in influencing behavior and relationships “The therapist, Israa Nasir, writes.

Israa also listed a few strategies for overcoming guilt and improving our own feelings of well-being:

Acknowledge the emotion: Rather than avoiding it, we need to accept it and raise our awareness of it. The first step in dealing with guilt is acknowledging it and being able to identify it in ourselves. There should be a clear distinction between feeling embarrassed and guilty.

Analyze the guilt: Our minds often attempt to communicate with us via intense emotions. When we find ourselves acting contrary to our principles and convictions, guilt may ensue. In order to determine if our actions were motivated by anything other than our values and beliefs, we need investigate the guilt and attempt to determine its underlying reason.

Make adjustments: In order to take acts that are more consistent with our value system, we need adjust the decisions we make. Additionally, we need to make an effort to turn our guilt into productive activities that improve our mood. To deal with guilt, we may need to move outside of our comfort zones, have tough talks, or offer an apology.