Guilt is a sneaky thing. People can guilt you, or you can even guilt yourself. You might not even know that you have guilt. If you have dealt with guilt in one are of your life, but leave a little seed in there, it will grow right back. That’s when the slightest thought, or even a word or look from another person can bring it all back up again. Our brain keeps the score, and our body is the record. If you’re dealing with feeling guilty about liver disease, these steps to let go can help you move on. Have you been feeling a nagging sense of guilt from mistakes that might have made your liver worse? Letting go of guilt can be hard, but you can move forward into a happier, healthier life.

Mentally Letting Go of Guilt

Acknowledge and Accept Guilt – Just like anything else, the first step to letting go of guilt is acknowledging and accepting that you feel guilty. It doesn’t matter what caused your liver disease. It could be from eating poorly and getting NAFLD or fatty liver. Maybe you’ve indulged in too much alcohol. Perhaps. you made a lifestyle choice that led to liver inflammation. Call it what it is and say: I’m tired of feeling guilty. Avoiding or denying guilt will only make it more challenging to let go of.

Apologize if Needed – We’re talking about your liver here. Within weeks of my liver totally failing, I learned this great exercise from my cousin. Put your left hand over your right ribcage and tell it you are so sorry. You can learn more about that here. If your guilt stems from something you did wrong, write out an apology and then deliver it to the person you hurt. This might help repair the relationship. Most of us are trying to mend our relationship with our liver right now.

Emotionally Letting Go of Guilt

  • Forgive Yourself
  • Practice Self-Compassion

Take Action Steps to Beat Guilt

  • Make Amends
  • Learn from the Experience

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This entry was originally posted on I help C on March 26, 2023, and is reprinted with permission.