Dystymia, Guilt And Bad Mood

Most of us have that annoying inner voice that fills us with a sense of hopelessness and that puts us in a bad mood. You feel as if you are doing everything wrong, nothing is worth anything, and no matter how hard you try, nothing will work out. Read here about dysthymia, guilt and bad mood.

But in some people this inner voice is more inexorable than in others. The condition is called “dysthymia”, which is characterized by chronic malaise and bad mood. You lose interest in things you once loved and can no longer find joy in anything.

Dysthymia is hard to live with. It is not an actual depression, but can have just as much negative impact on the quality of life.

Dysthymia is characterized by persistent depression, hopelessness, and insurmountability that last for more than two years. Sometimes it is diagnosed along with other mental disorders such as anxiety or depression.

When guilt invades one’s life

Depression and guilt often go hand in hand. Passivity can lead to lower productivity that can make us feel useless and give us that nagging feeling of guilt.
When the dirt piles up at home, when we hate our mirror image, when we overeat or when we bite off someone who just wanted us well, guilt can come and invade our minds.

All these negative emotions, lived out every single day for several months, are an unmistakable sign that something is wrong inside.

No one can live with the shadow of guilt as a constant threat from a knife.

Freud said in his day that “excessive guilt and self-blame are the key to understanding depression.” Through MRI scans, one has been able to find out what this feeling does to one’s brain.

Guilt and self-blame are a “hit” for the brain

The study of how guilt affects the brain was published in the journal General Psychiatry. It revealed the following:

• The brain structure responsible for developing a behavior capable of rationalizing and resolving guilt is the anterior temporal lobe. This area is associated with social behavior. This is what lets one see things more objectively.
• Individuals who experience depressive states “have turned off this part” to activate only the subgenual part.
• This keeps one from holding others accountable for their actions. Instead, you put everything on yourself.

One sees a reality that is clearly reflected in the brain.

According to experts, it can even cause certain types of aggression and a significantly lower self-esteem if left untreated. In the worst case, one can get the feeling that everything is out of control. Or that life is not worth living.

Bad mood as a daily companion

Bad mood and a feeling that reality has lost its original light is one of the hallmarks of dysthymia.

• Unmanageability, decreased energy, sleep problems, increased or decreased appetite. Or going through periods where you have to flee from people. And then suddenly feeling that one lacks understanding and care. These are all signs of this type of disorder. It also tends to have some kind of genetic link.

The most complex part of this type of disorder is that it can fluctuate a lot from day to day as opposed to depression. You go to work, you take care of the house and your family. But that does not mean that you are feeling well.

As soon as this shadow arises, this feeling, it is important that one asks for help. One must be aware that something is not right and that one will have to solve it.

Strategies to meet every day

In order to overcome any mental illness, you need medical treatment, therapy, willpower and support from your loved ones.

This means that we all need to find the strategy that helps us best. Each person is unique and different things work for different people.

However, it is never a bad idea to adopt these simple recommendations in one’s daily life.

• Movement is very important. It sounds like a cliché, but the body needs to be touched and surrounded with “life”. When you get out of the house and use your body, you create different, amazing changes in the brain.
• Say no to the votes. You may well quarrel with the negative voices: Do not let them be right when they tell you that you are a bad person.
• One’s negative thoughts are not real. They are beliefs, and one’s beliefs are not always right.
• Visualize the change every day. See how your life improves with more balance and inner peace.

Fight to make your dreams come true.