Confession is good for the soul. Have you found that to be true?

Confession only helps people whose burdens are lifted as soon as the words of guilt have left their mouth. They see it as a way for themselves to feel better, so they admit to it. But, what’s been done isn’t undone… The wrong was still committed. For someone like me, confessing doesn’t help emotionally. It’s just the right thing to do – because everyone deserves honesty – but all the pain, regret and sorrow remains. I truly believe that for most people… Confessing is a purely selfish act, and they have nothing but their own feelings in mind before doing so.

Not all people are like that, no. But most.

I am honest to a fault and often get into trouble, but I do it anyway. So yeah, I think confession is great for the figurative “soul”.

Something somewhat traumatic happened when I was a kid. When if was able to finally release that information, I didn’t get the response I was looking for. It was ignored, and that trauma and shame just went back inside the ol’ bottle. I’m certain that for other people, revealing such information proves beneficial, but didn’t for me.

So no. Didn’t help. Learned to lick my wounds instead.

Then again, thinking back, this wasn’t something that should have been shameful for me, but I did feel that way. Nevermind this post.

No for me too. I find confessing secrets to someone and exposing your flaws, regardless of their position;priest, pastor, friend, leaves you vulnerable and seems to fly back in your face. I find it isn’t worth the moments release than the burden itself.

I’m not big on confession. It’s better for the soul not to do bad things.

Not everything needs to be confessed. It has it’s appropriate place and should not be doled out in a selfish manner to clear the conscious at the expense of ruining someone else’s life. There are those instances when confession can bring pain to others.

I only confess if it helps everyone heal. I deal with the rest by learning lessons and trying hard forgiving myself.

I’d say recognition, which is sort of self-confession, is good for the soul.

I don’t often see the benefit of telling everyone else about your faults unless it is something that is or has effected them in a way that might cause them stress or harm.

Of course. But it should be a voluntary act. And it doesn’t have to be a priest you’re making your confession to. Any person you trust and who can handle it will do.

Yes but I have to agree with @RealEyesRealizeRealLies in that there are things that may make me feel better to confess but might hurt or disturb the person I speak to so I choose carefully. Once upon a time I believed a partner should automatically be my best friend and confidant, the safest person to turn to because they love me but I know now there are things best shared with others a bit removed and that it’s not fair for me to expect just because a person loves me that they can digest all I have in my head or can forgive when I want to vent hurtful things.

As you well know, @daloon I usually spill to someone completely outside of whatever situation or problem I’m dealing with. I find it helpful to have a 3rd party perspective to help guide me in issues. Sometimes it’s theraputic, sometimes it doesn’t do much, but I usually at least give it a try.

Nope. Haven’t gone to confession in years!

Sometimes it is just nice to talk.

Confession has only ever got me into trouble the really big things anyway…and the little ones don’t need confessing really

Whatever it takes to move on so long as you’re not hurting anyone in the process.

Confession may be good for the person confessing but it can be devastating to the one who hears it. The best thing is to lead a life that doesn’t require confession. If that’s not possible, take it to a professional-Father Murphy on Saturday afternoon.

I’m so sorry. I did it. I didn’t mean to do it, but I did it. Please forgive me.

Thanks, I feel much better now.

One night I had a pretty bad anxiety attack and ended up confessing all of the things in my life that I am ashamed of to my grandparents. At the end of the night I felt extremely good like a mass weight was lifted from me.

Bless me Father for I have sinned, It has been thirty years since my last a confession… Confession to me is all about getting down on the kneeler and the priest sliding open that little window. I admit it, I always walked out of there feeling a little lighter. I’d skip off to the pew to say ten Hail Mary‘s knowing the my soul was free of stain and if I got hit by a bus on the way home from church I could bypass Purgatory.

Confessing in real life – when someone else’s feelings come in to play – is much more complicated. I always try to understand if I am saying sorry to make myself feel better or to make the other person feel better. If it is only for me I hop in the car and visit my local church…

Is it wrong if it is only for yourself? What about if you want to be punished? Do we not always owe others the truth?

My latest confession led to a year of pain and caused me to nearly lose my wife. Needless to say, I have a bit of a bad taste in my mouth about confessions… even if it was the right thing to do.

@daloon The punishment may be bearing the guilt. If you betrayed someone and they never knew, would the “truth” cause unnecessary pain to them. That would be harming them twice.

@galileogirl I understand. It makes sense. It still bothers me, since I believe in exposing all my flaws (which is my version of telling the truth). If someone can love me after that, then I might believe they actually do love me. But I guess I can’t even handle that (love or appreciation or respect). I find myself seeking to destroy the good things (or so my therapist says).

It’s as if I need to be depressed. I always lash out at those who are closest to me. Then I hate myself even more for doing that, and I keep on doing it, knowing exactly what I am doing, and choosing to do it. I think I almost want to be hated. Or scorned. My therapist thinks it has to do with what happened in my childhood, but that doesn’t really help now.

If people knew I chose to be depressed, would they stop sympathizing with me? That would be ideal, because then I could get no help. Then my beliefs about the place I have in the world would be true. No one would care, because they knew I was just making it happen, and I could stop it if I wanted.

At least, I believe I can. I believe it’s me that is just choosing not to. I don’t believe that bipolar disorder is really a disease. I think it’s a category that other people make up because they can’t believe anyone would choose to take as much pain as they could—to the point where they want to die. I suppose this sounds crazy. Random. Disjointed. I’d like to think it does, anyway.

It’s good to be crazy. It’s good to embrace the pain. It’s good to be in a place where everyone hates you. Because then, it can’t get any worse. It can only get better, no matter which way you choose to get out.

That’s my confession.

@daloon Put this Matchbox20 song on your playlist and listen to it when you are choosing depression. Puts things into perspective.

All Day Staring At The Ceiling
Making Friends With Shadows On My Walls
All Night Hearing Voices Telling Me That
I Should Get Some Sleep
Because Tomorrow Might Be Good For Something

Hold On Feeling Like I’m Heading For A
Break Down And I Don’t Know Why

But I’m Not Crazy I’m Just A Little Unwell
I Know Right Know You Can’t Tell
But Stay Awhile And Maybe Then You’ll See
A Different Side Of Me
I’m Not Crazy I’m Just A Little Impaired
I Know Right Now You Don’t Care
But Soon Enough You’re Gonna Think Of Me
And How I Used To Be…Me

And Talking To Myself In Public
And Dodging Glances On The Train
And I Know…I Know They’ve All Been Talking About Me
I Can hear Them Whisper
And It Makes Me Think There Must Be Something Wrong With Me

Out Of All The Hours Thinking
Some How I’ve Lost My Mind

But I’m Not Crazy I’m Just A Little Unwell
I Know Right Now You Can’t Tell
But Stay Awhile And Maybe Then You’ll See
A Different Side Of Me
I’m Not Crazy I’m Just A Little Impaired
I Know Right Now You Don’t Care
But Soon Enough You’re Gonna Think Of Me
And How I Used To Be

I’ve Been Talking In My Sleep
And Soon They’ll Come To Get Me
And They’re Taking Me Away

But I’m Not Crazy I’m Just A Little Unwell
I Know Right Now You Can’t Tell
But Stay Awhile And Maybe Then You’ll See
A Different Side Of Me
I’m Not Crazy I’m Just A Little Impaired
I Know Right Now You Don’t Care
But Soon Enough You’re Gonna Think Of Me

And How I Used To Be
And How I Used To Be
How I Used To Be

I have found NOT SINNING . . . . . . .in the FIRST place. . . . . . . .to be BETTER!!!! <winks>