Identify signs of guilt

Exhaustion: A common consequence of feeling guilty

Guilt can lead to exhaustion. Indeed, when we act out of guilt, we may exceed our limits and forget our own needs. The guilt spiral clearly illustrates the link between guilt and exhaustion. When the situation of the sick person becomes more burdensome or when I take on a very heavy load, I may feel more tired and impatient. The result: I don't do things the way I would like, I get upset... and feel guilty. Since I feel guilty, I do more, either to redeem myself or to avoid feeling guilty. The burden becomes even heavier because I do more, and the guilt spiral continues until exhaustion.

Guilt can therefore become an unhealthy reflex that leads to overinvestment in caring for the person we are helping and to a decrease in energy, which can lead to exhaustion.

Identify guilt to avoid the trap of its spiral

To avoid falling into the trap of this guilt spiral, it may be helpful to know how to identify the signs of its presence within us, in order to intervene to lessen its influence.

To help you identify the manifestations of guilt, we offer you a thermometer that presents various signals associated with different intensity levels of this feeling. Thus, when guilt appears within you, you can use this reference to help you become aware of where you stand. This exercise allows you to help nuance the manifestations of the feeling of guilt.