Research around regrets show that we tend to forgive ourselves for mistakes we actually make. It's idealism that drives us to be mired in regrets. A study looking at how regret relates to self-concept found that, “people's most enduring regrets stem more often from discrepancies between their actual and ideal selves.
Constantly ruminating on past regret can lead to symptoms such as anxiety, depression, poor self-esteem, helplessness, and feelings of hopelessness. Fear of future regret can also affect your behavior.
It's one of those feelings you can't seem to shake, a heavy and intrusive negative emotion that can last for minutes, days, years or even a lifetime. Imaging studies reveal that feelings of regret show increased activity in an area of the brain called the medial orbitofrontal cortex.
Regret can draw us to salvation. Paul tells us that “Godly sorrow brings repentance that leads to salvation” (2 Corinthians 7:10) and that it is God's kindness that brings us to repentance (Romans 2:4). Looking back at failures or missed opportunities should make us feel a sense of loss.
A sense of guilt is a common feature of PTSD, for a diverse range of reasons. Especially 'survivors' guilt'. Other variations include regrets about decisions you made, feeling responsible for the actions of others or guilt that your mental health affects loved ones.
Feelings of guilt as a reaction to a stressor were related to a higher number of stressor-related intrusions and higher associated distress. Feelings of guilt may contribute to the development of PTSD symptoms such as intrusive thoughts.
Regret can have damaging effects on mind and body when it turns into fruitless rumination and self-blame that keeps people from re-engaging with life. This pattern of repetitive, negative, self-focused ruminative thinking is characteristic of depression—and may be a cause of this mental health problem as well.
Sadly, when we release rage, there are always consequences to our actions which lead to sadness and isolation – as anger can be taken out on another person, such as a partner, child, or an object – punching a wall, for example. Uncontrolled anger can lead you down the road to self-destruction and regret.
Begin by asking whether you are dealing with one of the four core regrets: Foundation regrets, Boldness regrets, Moral regrets, Connection regrets.
Imaging studies reveal that feelings of regret show increased activity in an area of the brain called the medial orbitofrontal cortex. Dealing with regret is even more difficult because of the other negative emotions connected to it: remorse, sorrow and helplessness.
Studies have found that a high level of regret is related to depression, anxiety and worse sleep and problem-solving. Most people feel a pang of regretted action (I wish I hadn't done that!) quickly and intensely, but regret over inaction (I should have done that) lingers longer.
People can have PTSD even though they do not recall the experience that triggered the problem. As a result, such people may live with PTSD for years without realizing it.
Content survivor guilt occurs when the survivor believes that something they did or did not do led to the death of another, whereas existential guilt relates merely to surviving, even when the survivor knows they were not to blame for the death(s).
Misdiagnosis with BPD
Some of the symptoms of complex PTSD are very similar to those of borderline personality disorder (BPD), and not all professionals are aware of complex PTSD. As a result, some people are given a diagnosis of BPD or another personality disorder when complex PTSD fits their experiences more closely.
People with PTSD have intense, disturbing thoughts and feelings related to their experience that last long after the traumatic event has ended. They may relive the event through flashbacks or nightmares; they may feel sadness, fear or anger; and they may feel detached or estranged from other people.
Trauma-related guilt refers to the unpleasant feeling of regret stemming from the belief that you could or should have done something different at the time a traumatic event occurred.
Rev. Graham: Only one sin that can't be forgiven is on God's list — and that is the sin of rejecting Him and refusing His offer of forgiveness and new life in Jesus Christ. This alone is the unforgivable sin, because it means we are saying that the Holy Spirit's witness about Jesus is a lie (see Luke 12:10).
He is there to forgive us for those sins we repent of and help us get back on the right path so we can live with Him again. If we can remember the commandments and the gospel in our daily lives, we can live with our Savior and have everlasting happiness and joy.
Isaiah 54 1
"Do not be afraid; you will not suffer shame. Do not fear disgrace; you will not be humiliated. You will forget the shame of your youth and remember no more the reproach of your widowhood.
Regret is viewed by many experts to be a mental phenomenon conditioned by evolution. That is, it is an evolutionary advantage for a species to learn from pervious mistakes and to remember those mistakes so as to avoid future related mistakes.
Researchers from the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai have learned that the way the brain processes the complex emotion of regret may be linked to an individual's ability to cope with stress, and altered in psychiatric disorders like depression.