15 Ways Judging Other People Harms Your Own Mental Health

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12. Judging Can Inhibit Empathy for Others

There is a big difference between sympathy and empathy. When you express sympathy for someone, you can feel sorry for their situation and then go about your business. However, empathy goes deeper, and you “feel” for the person who’s hurting. You put yourself in their shoes and validate their emotions and feelings.

How can you be empathetic when you are constantly judging other people? Instead of identifying with their feelings, you are judging them and making them feel worse. When you start to lose your ability to empathize, you lose touch with others and yourself.

13. It May Cause Depression and Anxiety

Chronic judgment may represent your dissatisfaction with your life and everyone around you. When people and events don’t measure up to your impossible standards, the negative attitudes may lead to depression and anxiety.

When you are experiencing anxious moments and bouts of depression, it’s easy to blame it on others. However, this turns into a vicious cycle that only creates harsher criticisms. One way to emerge from this whirlpool of misery is to learn to accept others as they are.

14. You Become Less Flexible

Trees have a natural ability to bend with the wind, so they aren’t broken and destroyed. Likewise, your well-being depends on how flexible you are with change. A judgmental attitude refuses to compromise and will be rigidly stubborn when confronted with anything different.

If this is your attitude, you will gradually “snap” because your criticism won’t allow you to be flexible. You may get into a rut, and the boredom can cause you to feel hopeless and defeated. A person who can be flexible and accepting of others and changing situations will be stronger in the long run.

15. Others Start to Judge You

Remember the second part of the warning about not judging others? If you continue to judge, then you will reap the judgments of others. People will soon tire of your fault-finding and will label you as hard-hearted and unfavorable. You’ll be judged by the same harsh standards you demand of others.

Final Thought on Why You Should Stop Judging Other People

Do you want to revive the joy in your life and have a more positive outlook? Maybe it’s time to put down the gavel and start to accept others as they are. When you are empathetic and show mercy to those around you, it will work its way back to you.