Debt can come from a variety of situations, from medical bills to layoffs to money management mistakes. Sometimes your debt becomes so overwhelming that it becomes time to consider bankruptcy as a way to move forward.

Bankruptcy can be a helpful tool if you are over your head with debt. Financially, you may already realize that bankruptcy is the solution to pursue to resolve your overwhelming debt. Emotionally, however, it can be challenging to come to terms with needing a solution like bankruptcy.

Here’s what you should know about managing the emotional side of bankruptcy.

Bankruptcy does not equal failure

The ability to make and manage money is often tied to feelings and impressions of success or failure. Learning financial lessons can be some of the most humbling lessons to learn, especially if accumulating debt was the only way out of a difficult situation.

Needing a fresh start does not mean there was a failure. Part of reconciling the need for bankruptcy is reframing it in terms of moving your current situation forward.

The challenges of analysis

Part of going through bankruptcy is an analysis of your income, debt and spending. For some, this can be a strenuous exercise, not because of the paperwork, but because they fear judgment.

As you go through this process, keep in mind that the people helping you through your bankruptcy are not there to pass judgment. The people working with you are there to determine what kind of solution you qualify for based on specific requirements, not the mental state you had at the time of the decision.

Guilt is not a requirement

Unlike some types of legal matters, there is no guilt or innocence with bankruptcy. You do not need to demonstrate shame to move through the process.

Bankruptcy is a solution to help you with an overwhelming financial situation. While it may not be the path you wanted, it can be a way to help you move forward.