Why Do I Feel Like A Burden?

The sensation of being a burden is quite prevalent, with research indicating that nearly half of Americans experience this feeling occasionally. Such feelings have detrimental effects on both our physical well-being and overall happiness.

Individuals who perceive themselves as burdens often report lower levels of happiness and health. This perception fosters negative self-view, leading to feelings of helplessness and despair, and a belief that life’s circumstances are beyond their control.

Furthermore, feeling overburdened is linked to an increased risk of developing depression and anxiety. It can also trigger overeating, excessive alcohol consumption, smoking, drug use, and other harmful behaviors.

Many might not recognize the frequency with which they feel burdensome, possibly assuming it’s a rare occurrence, perhaps during illness or when requiring significant assistance.

However, a closer examination reveals that the feeling of being a burden is a constant presence for many.

Maybe you’re having trouble getting through the day, and you feel like no one understands why you’re so tired or why you can’t stop crying. Or maybe you’re worried about money, work, school, or relationships.

So why do I feel like a burden? You might feel like a burden because you’re struggling with an addiction. Or maybe you’re dealing with a chronic illness like diabetes, cancer, heart disease, or arthritis. Or maybe you just feel overwhelmed by life’s challenges.

How to Stop Feeling Like a Burden

Table of Contents

No matter what’s causing you stress, here are some ways to cope with feelings of being a burden.

How To Not Feel Like a Burden: Get Support From Others.

If you’re feeling like a burden, chances are you’re probably feeling alone. Talking to someone else who knows you well can really help. A friend, relative, counselor, therapist, coach, or pastor can provide understanding and compassion. For those dealing with chronic conditions, exploring effective therapies for chronic sufferers can be beneficial.

Find A Way To Take Care Of Yourself

We usually feel guilty for needing help. So we try to ignore our needs. That doesn’t work very well. Instead, find a healthy balance between taking care of yourself and helping others. One way to enhance your well-being is to learn about the mental health boost you need.

Change Your Perspective

But I feel like a burden to everyone! Instead of thinking of yourself as a burden, consider yourself as someone who helps others. Think about how you could be helpful to others right now. Sometimes, understanding why therapy doesn’t work for everyone can shift your perspective on seeking help.

Focus On The Positive

It’s easy to focus on the negatives in life, but there are many reasons to celebrate. Look for the good things in your life. Remind yourself of your strengths and accomplishments.

Practice Gratitude

Think about everything you have to be grateful for. Even though you might feel like a burden sometimes, you still have many blessings.

Why Do I Feel Like A Burden?

Here are some common reasons people may feel like a burden or budensome:

We don’t know how to ask for help when we really need it.
We are struggling financially and struggle to ask for help with money.
We feel like we’re taking up too much space.
We feel like we’re wasting other people’s time.
We let others carry the load for us.

When you ask someone why they feel like a burden, they might say something like, “I don’t want to impose myself on anyone.” Or, “I don’t want to take advantage of other people.” Or, feeling like a bother to someone.

If you feel like a burden, then you may need to make some changes.

You may be feeling that you are imposing yourself on other people. You might be taking advantage of them and you might feel like you are being selfish.

You can never be a burden if you are doing what you love and helping others. It’s almost impossible.

When you feel like a burden, it can significantly affect your mental and emotional well-being. These emotions can emerge in various life situations, from personal relationships to work environments, and understanding the underlying causes is key to finding relief and fostering a sense of self-worth.

If you’re feeling like a burden, it means that you have a lot of guilt inside you. Guilt is one of the most destructive emotions in your life. It keeps you from living freely and enjoying life.

Guilt causes you to worry about all kinds of things. You think about how much money you owe, or how many times you’ve been late with a payment.

Guilt makes you feel guilty of everything you do. If you feel guilty, then you’ll always feel bad about yourself and you won’t ever feel good about yourself.

If you feel guilty, then there will always be an excuse for not doing what you should be doing. So, when you feel guilty, you need to stop thinking about all those negative thoughts.

You must learn to forgive yourself. Forgiveness is the key to freedom. Forgive yourself for every mistake you’ve made.

Forgive yourself for every time you haven’t done what you should have done. And forgive yourself for any mistakes that you may make in the future.

The more you forgive yourself, the less you’ll feel like a burden, and the less you hold onto guilt, the happier you’ll become. Learn to let go of guilt. Learn to forgive yourself.

Why Do I Feel Guilty?

Have you ever felt like you’re a burden on your family or friends? If yes, then you might be experiencing guilt. Guilt is a feeling of remorse over something you did or failed to do. It makes us feel bad about ourselves and our actions.

Guilt is often associated with negative emotions such as shame, anger, fear, sadness, and self-blame. In some cases, guilt can even cause depression.

People who experience guilt tend to be perfectionists, anxious, and insecure. They also tend to have low self-esteem. You don’t have to suffer from guilt forever. There are ways to overcome it and keep in mind, your existence is not bothering anyone or taxing anyone. Most of it is in your head. Take sometime to do inner work.

Final Thoughts

Try not to compare yourself to others. Try to remember that everyone has different priorities in life. Some people have more free time than you do; others have more money than you do.

So don’t worry if you aren’t as active as you’d like to be.

Instead, focus on what you’re doing well. For example, you might be able to get up earlier than most people to exercise before work.

It’s important to remember that everyone has strengths and weaknesses. If you feel like you’re carrying too much responsibility, try to take some time to reflect on what you can improve.

You could also talk with a counselor about how you feel.