ROCHESTER, Minn., Oct. 11 (UPI) -- A healthy sense of guilt can motivate people to do what's right and to consider the consequences of their actions, advises a U.S. newsletter.
On the other hand, guilt can be harmful -- if feeling bad about your actions has progressed to feeling bad about your entire person -- feeling shame -- then guilt has taken a destructive turn, according to Mayo Clinic Women's HealthSource.
"If guilt is causing you to feel unworthy, anxious or depressed, it's a good idea to seek help from a mental health professional," says the newsletter. "Ask yourself, 'Whom have I hurt and how has it affected that person? Were there other, better choices I could have made? How would I assess this situation for a friend?'"
Try to resolve matters by addressing any negative consequences of your action -- even doing something late may be better than doing nothing, the newsletter says.
"If you've hurt someone, ask for forgiveness and then make amends as best you can, but once you've done everything you can, move on. Learn your lesson, but let go of self-punishing thoughts," says Women's HealthSource.
