Understanding a Shame-Based Personality

Understanding a Shame-Based Personality

There is a difference between blaming and shaming a person. Blaming is being told you did something wrong. Shaming is being told that there’s something wrong with you, and you’re worthless, bad, inferior or inadequate. Examples of shaming statements include:

“You were a mistake; I wish I’d never had you”

“You’re useless; you’ll never amount to anything.”

“You could never do what he/she does”

“You’ve ruined my life; you ruin everything for everyone”

Adults shamed in childhood have the following traits:

1. They are afraid to share their true thoughts and feelings with others.

2. They are terrified of intimacy and put up walls in relationships. They also fear commitment as they expect to be rejected.

3. They are often extremely shy, easily embarrassed, and are terrified of being shamed or humiliated. They tend to suffer from debilitating false guilt.

4. They struggle with feelings of worthlessness and believe they are inferior to others. They believe that is something they can never change as worthlessness is at the core of who they are.

5. They often feel ugly and flawed, even when they’re beautiful – and everyone tells them that.

6. They may be narcissistic and act as if they have it all together; alternatively, they may be completely selfless, almost to the point of being a doormat.

7. They are often very defensive and find it hard to bear the slightest criticism. They feel as if they are being constantly watched and judged.

8. They have a pervasive sense of loneliness and always feel like outsiders (even when others genuinely like and love them).

9. They feel controlled – as if they always have to do want others want and say – and this blocks spontaneity.

10. They are perfectionists and usually suffer from performance anxiety. This may also cause them to be procrastinators.

11. They tend to block their feelings through compulsive behaviors like eating disorders, retail therapy or substance-abuse.

12. They find it hard to establish and enforce healthy boundaries with others.

from here: Understanding a Shame-Based Personality
 
I can relate to almost all of this, I'm wondering if it has to do with growing up in a shamed-based religion
 

Silatuyok

Well-known member
I can relate to almost all of this, I'm wondering if it has to do with growing up in a shamed-based religion

Ohhhh. See, I was going to say that I don't remember ever being shamed as a child, but yeah I think hardcore religion may very well have something to do with it.
 

jaim38

Well-known member
I never thought of it this way. Thanks for sharing, I agree with the article. I think I have a shame-based personality too, due to the environment I was raised in and the bullying/put down I've experienced inside and outside of home.
 

jaim38

Well-known member
I think this should also be on the list:

13. They feel intense pressure to prove themselves to others / live up to other people's expectations in hopes of removing the shame.

How many times have we been told that we should copy so and so because he/she is smarter/faster/better than us? So we try hard to imitate other people, but we often feel something is lacking.
 

coyote

Well-known member
I think this should also be on the list:

13. They feel intense pressure to prove themselves to others / live up to other people's expectations in hopes of removing the shame.

How many times have we been told that we should copy so and so because he/she is smarter/faster/better than us? So we try hard to imitate other people, but we often feel something is lacking.

13/13 :thumbup:
 

Froggy246

Well-known member
Yep they all ring true!
And kind of makes sense because most of my childhood I was literally the only brown person in the whole school, I think at one point we were the only brown family in a whole town!
Amongst other contributors.
 
Same here. Do we get a prize?


A Great Big Hug!

smiley-gets-a-big-hug.gif
 

Steiner

Well-known member
1. They are afraid to share their true thoughts and feelings with others.
Sure because I know everyone would bash me. I can't share them because my thoughts tend to be largely unpopular. I know this for a fact.
2. They are terrified of intimacy and put up walls in relationships. They also fear commitment as they expect to be rejected.
Yeah.
3. They are often extremely shy, easily embarrassed, and are terrified of being shamed or humiliated. They tend to suffer from debilitating false guilt.
Yup

4. They struggle with feelings of worthlessness and believe they are inferior to others. They believe that is something they can never change as worthlessness is at the core of who they are.
It is at my core. I am a little bitch as said by everyone.

5. They often feel ugly and flawed, even when they’re beautiful – and everyone tells them that.
No one says that to me. I am ugly.

6. They may be narcissistic and act as if they have it all together; alternatively, they may be completely selfless, almost to the point of being a doormat.
Make sure to brush your feet off on the way in.

7. They are often very defensive and find it hard to bear the slightest criticism. They feel as if they are being constantly watched and judged.
Dunno.

8. They have a pervasive sense of loneliness and always feel like outsiders (even when others genuinely like and love them).
Nah no one really likes me. I made a thread about this actually.

9. They feel controlled – as if they always have to do want others want and say – and this blocks spontaneity.
If by following my parents orders than yeah I guess to a point.

10. They are perfectionists and usually suffer from performance anxiety. This may also cause them to be procrastinators.
Yeah I can't do anything cause of performance anxiety.

11. They tend to block their feelings through compulsive behaviors like eating disorders, retail therapy or substance-abuse.
Don't know. I am a little fat. Therapy didn't work and I tried to get drunk but it takes too much effort it seems like. I fail at even becoming an alcoholic.

12. They find it hard to establish and enforce healthy boundaries with others.
Don't know. I guess so. Not sure what it means by boundaries.
 
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