What You're Feeling
Guilty
Guilt is the discomfort of believing you did something wrong, or fell short of your own standard. In healthy doses it points you toward repair; in excess it can linger long after repair has already happened.
Common thoughts
- “I should have done better.”
- “I owe them something.”
- “I can't stop thinking about what I did.”
Body sensations
- A heavy, sinking feeling
- Difficulty relaxing
- Rehearsing the moment repeatedly
What helps
- A real, specific repair if one is owed
- Distinguishing proportionate guilt from excessive guilt
- Forgiving yourself once the repair is genuinely made
What makes it worse
- Endless self-punishment beyond what repair requires
- Avoiding the person instead of addressing it