Is it normal to constantly cringe at past events

I have a subconscious list of like 50 or so majorly embarrassing/cringy things that happened in my life that I continually look back at and feel really embarrassed about, and a subconscious list of like 10 things that happened recently and are only somewhat embarrassing.

These are things like saying something incredibly stupid in a conversation with someone I wanted to impress, having something personal of mine get leaked, or something as general as just hating my personality when I was younger.

If a cringy event is minor, it will be forgotten in a month or 2, but if it's majorly cringy, I'll remember it my entire life and it will be added to my subconscious list of majorly cringy events. I even remember cringy events from 3rd grade. The list goes back my whole life.

Every so often I'll hear or see something that reminds me of one of these events, and I have to stop for 1 or 2 seconds and take a deep breath. When I remember one of these cringy past events, I feel like crap for half an hour until I get distracted by something else and forget about it.

Is it normal?

Is It Normal?
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Comments ( 8 ) Sort: best | oldest
  • Had the same problem, very normal. Realize that cringe = self shame. You're open to so much self shaming because your ego is so darn big. You're selfish, self-centered and self-absorbed. Most people are.

    Learn how to kill your ego and these cringe attacks will stop.

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  • You will feel what you focus on. Change the paradigm. When you think of things that make you feel bad STOP and focus on something you think is funny. Keep doing it until you feel happy. It works!

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  • I do the same thing. I will think about something embarrassing from my past and cringe about it. I mean it could have been something from 5+ years ago.

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  • Drinking tends to solve that particular problem.

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  • Very, very, VERY normal:

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I5Zd4nRqpoE

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  • Yes.

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  • Yes, I do this as well. There are very specific instances that just flash up. I find that writing them down helps release the emotions.

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  • I think about all the times I could have got laid but I was to stupid to see it.

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