Pathological guilt and its network

The feeling of guilt is, in principle, healthy. Although it causes displeasure, it is a mechanism that is associated with self-criticism. It is inevitable that sometimes we act inappropriately and end up hurting others. In those cases, guilt alerts us to the need to repair. However, there are circumstances in which self-reproach goes beyond what is reasonable and that is when pathological guilt appears.

Guilt entails an appeal to conscience. It appears when some principle has been transgressed or some value has been overstepped. in which we believe. Guilt is a feeling that is strongly associated with ideology. Moral or duty conscience always is.

In psychological terms, it is practically impossible to define whether a behavior Is it “good” or “bad”. Even those who deliberately cause harm could be motivated by distortions in their thoughts or emotions, the result of an altered, sick or dysfunctional environment.

However, individually each person does make those types of assessments, in terms of right and wrong. AND when you feel like you have overstepped your belief system or values, he comes to experience regrets. When does one go from normal to pathological guilt? Let’s dig deeper.

Normal guilt and pathological guilt

It is not always clear what the difference is between a guilt that we could call “normal” and a pathological guilt. A first clue to distinguish one from the other is in the evaluation of its frequency and intensity. If it is experienced habitually and it is a feeling very strong and invasive, we can speak of pathological guilt.

There are psychological disorders in which guilt is very present. One of the most common is depression. Under this state, it is very common for the person to tend to constantly blame themselves. In fact, he begins to feel guilty for being depressed and not being able to feel the way others do.

Pathological guilt is also present in obsessive-compulsive disorders, phobias and addictions.. In such cases, guilt operates as part of the problem. It is not healthy guilt that leads to repair or redirection of behavior. Rather, it works as a factor of constant emotional punishment, which generally aggravates the central problem.

The faces of guilt

Sometimes guilt appears a bit camouflaged. In these cases it is not the typical remorse after having done or said something that we consider reprehensible. There is, for example, traumatic guilt, one of the forms that pathological guilt takes.

The mechanism operates as follows. A person is the victim of arbitrariness, abuse or an extremely painful and fortuitous event. In these cases, the emotional impact is extremely high. What is called “trauma” is then configured. Even though the person is a victim of it, they develop a feeling of guilt about the situation. That is precisely one of the effects of trauma. In this case, there is pathological guilt.

In addition, There are cases in which a person feels guilty simply for imagining harm., although in practice it has never been carried out. There should be no repentance, for no harm was done. However, if the person’s morals, or super-ego, are extremely restrictive, he will perceive everything as if he had actually done something wrong.

Overcome pathological guilt

Pathological guilt can be very incisive. Little by little it takes its toll and filters into the different actions of life. It greatly deteriorates self-esteem, although it is also a product of low self-esteem.. For example, someone with low self-esteem feels that he must please others all the time and if he does not succeed, he feels guilty.

What is required in these cases is a process that allows you to open your mind to see everything from another perspective.. It is important to reflect on the norms and beliefs you have. Above all, evaluate its rationale and logic. The vast majority of the time these are excessively rigid codes, which in reality do not lead to being a better person, or a better member of society. They only fulfill the role of tormenting.

In many cases it is necessary to carry out this process with the help of a psychotherapist.. The guilt may have such deep roots that it is difficult to address without support. It is worth making efforts to free yourself from pathological guilt. It is a force that sometimes becomes overwhelming and can ruin your entire life.

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