Coping mechanisms to deal with guilt?

A few years back I found myself in a unfavorable situation that has caused me a lot of guilt. I removed myself from the situation about a year and a half ago but it still to this day eats at me and haunts me. It isn't a daily thing where I can't function, but at least a few times a week it creeps up and causes a lot of anxiety and depressing thoughts.

I have written out all of my feelings about the situation, why I think it happened, etc. I've written letters to the parties involved, but have never been able to send them due to fear of repercussions and stirring up old stuff. I try positive affirmations and telling myself that if the same situation presented itself today that I would do better to avoid it because I am not that same person I was back then.

The situation is not one that I've ever spoken openly to anyone about due to shame, guilt and lack of trust. It feels like a very dark and giant secret looming over me.

I don't feel like there is a space safe enough to speak about the situation freely to someone who genuinely wants to listen and won't judge me for it.

I can't change the past and I know this.

Any tips on how you deal with guilt are greatly appreciated.

Have you thought of therapy? Talk about it with someone who is obligated to keep it between you two. May help to get it off your chest and then him/her could help with the coping/anxiety/depression etc. etc.

That's the best advice I can give you without knowing more details about the situation :/

Would you feel comfortable sharing it with us, OP?

You might find that a confessional to a group of strangers on the internet is cathartic, in a way. The risk of true negative repercussions is low here, barring any identifying details of course. Perhaps getting it out here could help you sort through your feelings.

Whatever it is, sending letters to people only stirs things up more. Trying to calm your own guilt by hurting other people is not the right thing to do.