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Nobody sets out to become resentful, and yet each of us has experienced feelings of resentment at some point in our lives.
Resentment can affect relationships or come from a feeling of being wronged, but what are some more unexpected reasons that people become resentful?
In this article we’ll explore the hidden causes behind why people may feel resentment, so that you don’t get caught up in cycles of bitterness.
Whether you’re looking to better understand yourself or your loved ones, this blog post is here to help!
#1. Lack of Appreciation
One of the quickest ways to become resentful is to not be appreciated for the things you do.
Most people aren’t looking for an award here, but to simply be recognized for the effort and time they spend doing things.
#2. Being Disabled
Having a disability can make the difficulty of life even more challenging.
Those with a disability aren’t always looking at the brighter side of things.
Some are naturally angry that they have something working against them in their bodies. Even worse, some describe how they already had a disability and ended up with another one due to complications caused by the first.
Given that life can be challenging with a disability and that the systems that exist to support disabled people are known to be poorly constructed, it’s no wonder why those with a disability are bitter at the world.
#3. Working in Healthcare
People with insurance and without it can list many things wrong with the healthcare system in the U.S.
But it turns out that workers are bitter too.
From crushing student loans that need repaying to long hours that leave people burnt out to become so tired that they can’t even stand to see patients, there’s a lot wrong with working in this field.
Many nurses and doctors wish to leave but can’t afford to.
#4. Losing Contact With People Who Don’t Put in the Effort
There is a saying that there are friends for a reason, for a season, and for a lifetime.
However, not everyone may fit neatly into a specific category.
Some people mentioned how they have friends who only connect with them if they initiate contact.
This can leave them feeling bitter if they feel that they have to reach out to everyone to maintain some semblance of a relationship when the other person won’t reciprocate.
Some accept that reality, but some move on and have difficulty forming new friendships for the same reasons.
#5. Having to Deal With Trauma Caused by Others
Childhood trauma has long-lasting consequences.
It can affect development, socializing, and the behavioral and thinking patterns one relies on to navigate daily life.
Unfortunately, childhood trauma is something that’s not that easy to get over.
Those traumatized by their families or those close to them at a young age are bitter that they’re left without the foundation they need to succeed in daily life.
They’re also bitter that they have to spend thousands of dollars fixing something they didn’t want or ask for.
Some people have parents willing to foot the bill and admit their mistakes, but far more do not and have to navigate maturing and healing by themselves.
#6. Not Being Paid What They’re Worth
There are many professionals out there who are not being paid what they deserve.
Several people shared how their employers paid them a meager salary in return for their hard work.
Even more insulting, many discovered that new employees were making substantially more than them.
Fortunately, others had good advice, like looking for multiple new jobs while working to find one that does pay fairly.
#7. Not Being Good Enough for Others
In life, all we can do is our very best. Sometimes, this produces OK results.
Other times, it may work out exactly as we planned. Still, you can’t satisfy everyone.
There are people out there with friends, family members, and romantic partners who aren’t satisfied no matter what they achieve.
They could not care what others think, but that’s often much easier said than done.
Instead, they feel emotionally drained and have low self-esteem from trying to consistently live up to expectations constantly shifting around, no matter what heights they reach.
#8. Losing a Loved One
Losing a loved one is a tragic development. It also naturally causes bitterness, especially if their life was ripped away too soon.
Whether it’s spouses, children, or even beloved pets, many feel bitter and lost after a loss, knowing that they no longer get to have time with their loved one that they once thought they had.
Grief does fade, but it seems to have a lasting impact on a person.
#9. Expectations Versus Reality
We absorb a lot when we’re young. Often, we are told to dream and believe that we can achieve anything.
We may even set specific goals for ourselves that we aim to realize as we grow up.
But the more some of us navigate life, the more we realize that life doesn’t always go as expected.
For those with lives that go in the opposite direction of what they expected, it can leave them feeling extremely bitter.
#10. The General Public
There’s a common sentiment that people have become ruder over time.
People don’t have filters and say whatever they want to out in public.
Even if it seems like common sense to be kind, that doesn’t mean everyone will have the understanding to be kind to others.
Some may even hold outright nasty beliefs about certain groups of people that cause them to be a certain way.
These types of interactions can leave some feeling bitter about people in general, the state of the world, and life as a whole.
#11. Watching Terrible Things Happen to Good People
The world isn’t fair, and this is a hard lesson to learn.
Sometimes, people aren’t bitter about things that happened to them.
Instead, they’re bitter because terrible things happen to good people while terrible people get off scot-free.
From getting cancer early to losing everything, bitterness accompanies a situation where someone amazing gets treated as though they’re not.
#12. Being Cheated on
This could tie into the previous mention. Being cheated on is one of the worst feelings in the world, and it can create many problems even if the relationship has ended.
Those who have been cheated on may feel like they’re unable to trust others, like they were responsible for their partner’s cheating, and that they’ve thrown away their life spending all that time with someone sneaking behind their back.
While there may be a lot of feelings that people experience during this period, bitterness is certainly one that may arise.
#13. Living in Today’s Economy
No matter where you stand on the political spectrum, you’ve likely noticed that living costs have become unmanageable.
Rent is expensive; homes are expensive; high-paying jobs are few and far between; college can plunge you into a lifetime of debt, and so on.
Naturally, this has left a lot of people bitter. Some people have stated that they’re exhausted from grinding, knowing that all systems are stacked against them.
For them, there’s no light at the end of the tunnel and no reason to continue trying so hard to survive.
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This thread inspired this article.
Jon Dulin is the passionate leader of Unfinished Success, a personal development website that inspires people to take control of their own lives and reach their full potential. His commitment to helping others achieve greatness shines through in everything he does. He’s an unstoppable force with lots of wisdom, creativity, and enthusiasm – all focused on helping others build a better future. Jon enjoys writing articles about productivity, goal setting, self-development, and mindset. He also uses quotes and affirmations to help motivate and inspire himself. You can learn more about him on his About page.