10 Symptoms of Dysthymia
9. Feeling Guilty
The guilt experienced by those with dysthymic depression far exceeds natural human regret for wrongdoing. For example, dysthymics may wrongly perceive that they have insulted someone, even though the other person took no offense. They may feel responsible for situations they have no control over or for the unhappiness of others. Sometimes they feel guilty for existing.
A related symptom is an overwhelming regret for specific incidents. When thinking about people from their past, they often analyze casual conversations for hidden meanings or feel intense anger over perceived slights. They convince themselves that their lives would be different if they had not made so many mistakes or if they had said the right thing during a specific interaction with someone.
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