Understanding Shame: Navigating Emotions with Compassion

What is shame?

Shame is a normal emotion we can feel about ourselves or our behaviour; it is a good thing that we have an emotion that makes us feel bad when we do something wrong. However, shame can sometimes take over and make us feel terrible even when we haven't done anything wrong.
Childhood abuse and neglect and other traumas can cause us to develop a lot of shame as a coping strategy. In these situations, shame can help us stay quiet and unseen; it may also help us to not have false hope of being treated well.
Shame is a powerful emotion that can live in our bodies; our bodily sensations can then reinforce our emotional state and we can get stuck in a cycle of chronic shame.
Shame can hold us back from pursuing our goals and be related to low self-esteem. Shame can also make us feel bad when things go well and we are put in the spotlight. Sometimes shame can be related to anger; it can also make it difficult to enage in relationships in a healthy way.
Having chronic shame can be very painful and isolating. Talking to a therapist who understands shame can be very helpful.

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