Heavy Conscience: what is it, what to do?

George Alvarez 01-06-2023
George Alvarez

All of us have made some mistakes and regretted them. The feeling of having made a mistake leaves a guilty conscience in our heads. That is why today we understand what it means bad conscience and how best to deal with it.

What is a guilty conscience?

A guilty conscience is the feeling of guilt that appears when we fail someone At first, a person may not realize the harm he has caused by his actions, but the unpleasant feeling of having hurt people grows in his mind day by day.

The weight of conscience is the human being's moral warning that the person has done something wrong. However, people with deviant behavior don't know when their conscience weighs because they don't feel remorse, which is why this feeling is quite common in people with moral education.

The guilty attract each other

Even if they don't want to, the person with a guilty conscience may approach people who nurture their guilt. They unconsciously approach others who feel comfortable telling them when they are wrong. However, those who are judgmental sometimes want to hide their own guilty conscience.

It is easier to identify the culprits they judge when they perceive someone who takes responsibility for everything. In this way, these people focus on one particular person as the center of responsibility. It is a very parasitic type of relationship, by the way.

The value of guilt

Even though it causes harm to many people, a guilty conscience shapes our character. Through the weight on our conscience we regulate our moral behavior This guilt helps us to repair our faults and avoid similar mistakes in the future.

However, many scholars believe that this positive side of guilt has its limitations. After all, when parents induce their children to feel guilt they are doing harm to the children.

See_also: Aristotle's phrases on life, education, and happiness

For spiritualists, human guilt is perceived as the opposition to forgiveness, both forgiveness of other people and forgiveness for oneself. Furthermore, spiritualists believe that a guilty conscience always leads a person to suffer before getting better.

Beginnings and expectations

Even though there is comfort in the rules, many people feel limited by them, so they break the rules in order to discover who they are and what their responsibilities are.

However, this process is not easy, because saying "no" to loved ones can lead to insecurity; that is, the guilty conscience of having denied someone's expectations can lead to guilt.

It is because of this fear that many people believe they are wrong to deny a request from someone In this way, as we grow up, we get used to pleasing others for fear of disappointment. Sometimes the guilt we feel is not deserved as many believe.

Health risks

In addition to affecting our emotions, a guilty conscience also creates problems for our health. Although other people are deceived, it is impossible for those with a guilty conscience to be wrong. That is why those who feel guilty suffer some inconveniences, such as:

  • sadness;
  • lack of motivation;
  • isolation with the desire to disappear;
  • mood that changes easily;
  • low immunity, since the stress of the situation decreases our protection against disease;
  • talking too much to disguise the pain.

Perfectionism

At first, people who demand too much of themselves are the ones who suffer most from a guilty conscience. While trying to get it right all the time, these people forget that mistakes can be made.

In this way, the level of a guilty conscience will depend on how strict this person is about himself. Besides the perfectionist, the so-called puritans and authoritarians charge themselves a lot and therefore suffer from a guilty conscience. Their conscience is guilty as soon as they feel that their actions have betrayed them.

To overcome this feeling the first step is to understand that nobody is perfect In addition, it is necessary to analyze some situations in order to understand the physical and emotional cost they will cost us.

Read Also: Being focused in life: how to do it in practice?

How to get weight off your conscience?

If your conscience is guilty, now is the time to analyze why you feel that way. It's not the end of the world, since you can start over and transform your attitude into something more positive. Check out some tips on how to relieve a guilty conscience:

I want information to enroll in the Psychoanalysis Course .

Replace the word "blame" with "responsibility

There is a difference between using the word guilt and responsibility that you may not realize. Guilt is a feeling that ties you to the past and paralyzes you in your limitations, whereas responsibility has to do with a choice that leaves you motivated, optimistic, and with a sense of duty.

You must understand how your responsibility has generated so much uneasiness between you and others As soon as possible, after an analysis of the situation, understand what you can do to remedy the damage. If you cannot do anything at the moment, take a break from the situation and see what you did wrong.

Developing your emotional intelligence

Once you understand your emotions you will be able to change negative patterns in your life. When a person develops emotional intelligence they turn bad experiences into a learning process, so you will understand your emotions and what situations affect them.

Forgive yourself and deal with your mistakes

Making mistakes is part of the development process of human beings, and the perfect being does not exist. Even if it is bad at first, you need to understand the importance of the mistakes you have made. After all, you are only the person you are today because of what you have learned from your failures .

Also, always do your best while facing life's adversities. And be more tolerant of yourself, because striving for perfection will only make you more guilty and frustrated.

Final remarks about guilty conscience

A guilty conscience is our moral compass of the times when we have erred We won't always succeed on the first try, but we also shouldn't hurt someone to make it easier. And don't ever believe that hurting someone or yourself to achieve something is worth it.

When you feel ready try to understand what actions need to be improved. Change is not a simple process, but it helps us to see our best selves and the good we can do to the world.

See_also: Disillusionment: meaning in the dictionary and in psychology

In our online Psychoanalysis course we will help you to better deal with the bad conscience The course is a personal growth tool capable of developing your self-knowledge and unlocking your inner potential. Get the Psychoanalysis course at a special offer and start transforming your life today.

George Alvarez

George Alvarez is a renowned psychoanalyst who has been practicing for over 20 years and is highly regarded in the field. He is a sought-after speaker and has conducted numerous workshops and training programs on psychoanalysis for professionals in the mental health industry. George is also an accomplished writer and has authored several books on psychoanalysis that have received critical acclaim. George Alvarez is dedicated to sharing his knowledge and expertise with others and has created a popular blog on Online Training Course in Psychoanalysis that is widely followed by mental health professionals and students around the world. His blog provides a comprehensive training course that covers all aspects of psychoanalysis, from theory to practical applications. George is passionate about helping others and is committed to making a positive difference in the lives of his clients and students.