Apologizing chronically can be a sign that you are not feeling that you have much self-worth.
Many people suffer with the tendency to apologize all the time, chronically, for everything. Especially alcoholics. Prior to receiving alcohol addiction help we often are guilt ridden for everything we have done to ourselves and others. While we should feel a certain level of remorse and want to rectify it we should not continue to wallow in the guilt. These feelings of self-pity, resentment, self-hatred, and guilt do not serve us. They do not serve us when it comes to the work we are trying to do in a 30 day rehab program, they will not serve us in meetings, and they will not serve us if we are in or decide to go to a drug addiction detox. These feelings can lead us to a place of powerlessness and hopelessness. In these places there is little ability to take positive action because we are not living in the solution. On the one hand, apologizing is a social convention that keeps interactions between people polite, and in that way it can be very helpful. On the other hand, if we find ourselves apologizing for everything, it might be time to look at why we feel compelled to say “I’m sorry” so often. Ultimately, saying you’re sorry is saying that you are responsible for something that has gone wrong in the situation. Whether it’s negotiating a parking spot, moving through the aisles of the supermarket, or reaching for what you want, there are times when sorry is the right thing to say. But there are other times when “excuse me” is more accurate.