How to handle feelings of guilt and shame after an affair from a psychological perspective – Online Psychologists

Have you ever felt a lot of guilt or shame after being unfaithful to your partnera? While these emotions are natural in a situation like this, they can be difficult to handle and can negatively impact your psychological well-being and relationships. Fortunately, there are ways to healthily manage both feelings.

We are talking about two complex emotions and often difficult to understand. Guilt is an emotion we feel when we believe we have done something wrong or hurt someone. Shame, on the other hand, is an emotion we feel when we believe we are inadequate or unworthy in some way. Although these emotions often go hand in hand, they can also be experienced independently.

It is natural to feel guilty after being unfaithful to a partner, as we have hurt someone we love and violated that person's trust. Shame can also arise if we feel that we have failed ourselves and our own values. In addition, infidelity can trigger feelings of low self-esteem and lack of self-confidence.

Excessive guilt and shame can have a negative impact on our psychological well-being and our relationships with others. According to a study published in the Journal of Social and Clinical Psychology in 2014, entitled “The Role of Guilt and Shame in Mental Health,” Guilt and shame can increase the risk of mental disorders, such as depression and post-traumatic stress disorder.. Additionally, they can damage our relationships by creating a gap of trust and making communication with our partners difficult.

Fortunately, there are ways to manage them in a healthy way. Some effective strategies include:

At we have been experts in online therapy since 2012. Throughout our career We have helped more than 1,800 patients overcome various emotional problems. If you are interested in seeking the help of an online psychologist, you can request a free first session by clicking on the button below.

Communication is key to overcoming infidelity and rebuild trust in a relationship. A study published in the Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology in 2018, titled “Repairing Relationships After Infidelity: The Role of Communication and Cognition,” found that open and honest communication between couples can be especially helpful in processing feelings of guilt and shame and moving toward a stronger relationship.

It's also important to take responsibility for our actions and show genuine remorse. This means acknowledging your role in the affair and showing genuine remorse for your actions. This can include making concrete changes to show your commitment to the relationship and prevent future infidelity from happening again.

He Forgiveness and self-pity can be helpful in managing feelings of guilt and shame and moving forward in our process of overcoming them. Forgiveness, both towards ourselves and towards others, can help us release emotional baggage and let go of resentment.

Self-compassion, on the other hand, involves treating ourselves with kindness and understanding rather than being harsh on ourselves. A study published in the Journal of Social and Clinical Psychology in 2015, titled “The Role of Self-Compassion in Recovery From Infidelity,” found that self-compassion can be especially helpful in overcoming feelings of guilt and shame and improving emotional resilience.

Therapy can be a valuable resource for managing feelings of guilt and shame after an affair. A psychologist can help you explore your emotions more deeply and provide effective tools for managing them in healthier ways. This can include practicing relaxation techniques, exploring negative thought patterns, and identifying healthier ways to cope with your emotions.

Additionally, therapy can be helpful in working on communication and accepting responsibility in your relationship. A therapist can help you develop more effective communication skills and resolve conflicts in healthier ways. It can also be helpful in working on trust and vulnerability in your relationship and in developing greater emotional resilience in the long term.

If you decide to seek counseling after an affair, it is important to find a counselor who is experienced in dealing with these issues and with whom you feel comfortable and safe. Therapy can be a difficult and time-consuming process.

Regaining trust and vulnerability in a relationship after infidelity can be challenging, but it is essential to moving forward and building a stronger relationship. Some strategies that can help work on trust and vulnerability include:

Emotions are usually complex and difficult to handle after an affair. However, there are formulas that allow us to work with them and help us to have healthier feelings that allow us to move towards a more consolidated relationship.

Some keys include: accepting and acknowledging our feelings, making a conscious effort to change our behavior in the future, working on communication, being accountable to the other person, forgiving ourselves and others, and developing self-compassion. Therapy can be a valuable resource to more effectively explore and manage these feelings.

At we have been experts in online therapy since 2012. Throughout our career we have helped more than 2,000 patients overcome various emotional problems. If you are interested in seeking the help of an online psychologist, you can request a free first session by clicking on the button below.