GUILT COMPLEX IN WORKING WOMAN

Author Name: 1. Talpada Payal Lallubhai, 2. Dr. Shobha Kundgol, 3. Dr. M.U. Mansoori

Volume/Issue: 06/03

Country: India

DOI NO.: 08.2020-25662434 DOI Link: https://doi-ds.org/doilink/08.2025-99792164/UIJIR

Affiliation:

1. PhD Nursing Scholar Sai Tirupati University Udaipur, Rajasthan, India.
2. Professor, Venkteshwar Collge of Nursing Udaipur, Rajasthan, India.
3. Dean, Nursing, Sai Tirupati University, Udaipur, Rajasthan, India.

ABSTRACT

When a person realizes that they have hurt someone—whether actually or just in perception—they often experience guilt, which is a negative and complex human emotion. Guilt arises from the belief that one has violated personal moral values or social norms. It is a self-conscious feeling marked by the unpleasant awareness of having done or thought something wrong, usually accompanied by regret and a sense of responsibility for the outcome. Merriam-Webster defines guilt as the feeling of deserving blame, whether for real or imagined offenses, or as the state of being aware of an offense or inadequacy. In general, guilt is understood as a form of self-evaluation that occurs when individuals feel responsible for actions that may have harmed others or gone against ethical standards. When these feelings become excessive and disproportionate to the situation, it is referred to as a guilt complex. This involves a persistent belief of having done something wrong, even when little or no evidence supports it, and may manifest as anxiety, self-blame, and difficulty in forgiving oneself.

Key words: Guilt, moral values, self-evaluation, guilt complex, self-blame.