How to Recognize Physical & Emotional Signs of a Guilty Conscience

We all know honesty is essential, but sometimes we hide things from others. But there's a way to see if someone has the signs of a guilty conscience.

Now, you may be squeaky clean yourself. You're honest with your partner and haven't thought of lying to them once. But you have this strange feeling like they're hiding something from you. To be honest, you'll never know if they're lying to you or not, but there are signs of a guilty conscience. Watch and see if they point in that direction.

If after reading this, you feel that they're deceiving you, you need to then figure out if you even want to keep this relationship going or just cut it and move on.

12 signs of a guilty conscience

I can't tell you that I'm perfect. In my first relationship, I was really dishonest and hid things from my partner because I was scared of their reaction. Of course, after the relationship ended, I realized without honesty I won't be able to have a healthy relationship.

Further, my personal well-being was drastically affected because of the build-up of lies and deception I made. I thought I would be able to brush it off and keep on going with my life. Life has that funny way of reminding you constantly of what you did wrong. No one can hide guilt that well.

#1 They're suddenly nice. Now, they usually may be nice but suddenly out of nowhere, they're being extra nice. And no, it's not your birthday or any other major holiday. It's a Tuesday.

If they're never this nice and they pop out all the big moves and gestures, they may overcompensate because of guilt. Now, I don't know what they did, so don't go assuming the worst, but, they clearly feel bad about something.

#2 They can't look you in the eyes. Eye contact is huge. We all know how easy it is to see what's going on with someone when you look them in the eyes. If someone avoids eye contact with you, it's a classic sign of guilt.

If someone feels extremely guilty, they avoid looking at you directly as they're ashamed of what they've done. They're also scared you'll find out. 

#3 They accuse you. This is a common thing that guilty people do. Firstly, they become defensive if you confront them. Then, they flip the situation onto you, claiming that you're the one doing something wrong.

This is called “projection.” It happens when someone feels guilty so they need to move the guilt onto someone else. If they're accusing you of something you didn't do, I would wonder if they did it themselves.

#4 They can't sleep properly. When it's time to go to bed, their mind works a mile a minute, unable to calm down. Now, there could be other reasons why they struggle with sleeping so don't jump to a conclusion right away. But usually, when we're unable to sleep, it is because we're busy thinking about a specific event and feeling anxious and stressed.

#5 They're avoiding you. And the best part is, you've done nothing wrong! A common sign of guilt is when someone intentionally avoids the person they've betrayed. They feel that you may be able to see what they did. Thus, it's better to hide from you. If they're disappearing on a regular basis, the guilt is severe.

#6 They've suddenly lost their appetite. When stressed, anxiety suppresses our appetites. So, unless they have a presentation for work, are studying for exams, have the flu, or a family issue, there really shouldn't be any reason why they wouldn't eat. A loss of appetite is caused by stress and anxiety. Now you need to ask yourself, why are they feeling like this?

#7 They make an effort for small talk. When someone is guilty, they make more of an effort to engage in small talk, in hopes of getting other people to talk rather than them. You'll notice that they laugh at everything you say and almost come off as having desperate behavior. They're compensating for lying to you, and this is one of those easiest signs of a guilty conscience that can be noticed rather easily.

#8 They suck up to you on social media. I know, what age have we come to that social media is used to aid guilt? But, these are the times I guess. If someone wants on your good side, you'll be amazed at how vigilant they are on social media. Making sure they like all your photos, leaving comments, trying to give the image that they're in your good books.

#9 They become emotional. If you confronted them, they may suddenly become emotional in front of you. When people become upset or emotional, it's usually a good sign that they feel bad about what they did.

They want to reveal themselves, but they fear the consequences as well. This is why they suddenly have an emotional outburst.

#10 They're anxious. When someone has a guilty conscience, they're scared and anxious. They're scared that it's going to come out. This, naturally, causes anxiety. You may notice them acting anxious around you. Because there's something they want to tell you but are too terrified to share it.

#11 They lie. It's one of the most common traits people use in order to make sure they save their own asses. Can I blame them? It's actually a natural response when you experience anxiety.

Some of the lies can be small while others are big and life-altering. This avoids the feelings of guilt and moves past the issue without actually addressing it.

#12 Protective over their phone. It's not that weird as it sounds since phones have now become our lifeline to the outside world. If they heavily guard their phone around you, perhaps there's something on it that they don't want you to see.

Maybe some self-incriminating information. Yes, they already feel the guilt! Hiding their phone is a way to keep you from finding out the truth.

You know the signs of a guilty conscience now. Do you think that your friend, family member, or significant other has one?