Dysregulated negative emotional state Guilt 2023-12-12T10:02:35Z The experience of remorse, self-reproach, or perceived culpability for a real or perceived unfavorable outcome. Guilt may be proportionate to the context or disproportionate, and it may occur in the absence of an identifiable act, event, or offense. It reflects the interplay of cognitive processes, such as judgments about responsibility, and emotional responses, which can lead to persistent rumination or preoccupation. Guilt may extend to situations outside the individual's control and, in some cases, be accompanied by inaccurate or exaggerated beliefs about one's role in an outcome. Excessive self-reproach Unrealistic self-blame Feelings of worthlessness The individuals frequently feel they have violated their own, or universal, moral standards. Guilt often reflects a relationship between disordered thinking or cognitive processes (such as cognitive distortions) and emotional dysregulation resulting in persistent ruminations or preoccupations of remorse and shame. In severe cases, guilt may be associated with delusional beliefs, as seen in psychotic depression. Self-blame Unfounded sense of culpability Unwarranted self-blame Obsessive remorse over imagined wrongs Inappropriate sense of responsibility