The Simple Question Posed by Step Three

The shame-bound get imprinted with these messages, like a recorded endless loop, a lowlight reel, operating in the background of their lives, creating in them the habit of feeling uneasy about their worth and unsure of our abilities.

If you saw who I really was, you would turn away in disgust or use my many weaknesses to destroy me.

There is often a feeling of shame attached to the survivors of suicide, a hidden doubt that they might not have done enough to prevent this death. This is a doubling of the pain. Their grief is bound together with shame, making it more difficult to talk with others and get the support they need. Finding the courage to share your experience with oth

When we take humiliating messages into ourselves and let them define our being, shame's nagging voice pushes us to hide or lash out. This kind of shame can immobilize us completely and cause us to avoid growth. When we feel ashamed, we feel alienated from others. Our other feelings—guilt, joy, anger, fear, and sadness—can be shared in ways that hel