Signs you are living with toxic shame from childhood trauma

From struggling with loneliness to being defensive to feedback, here are a few signs that we are living with toxic shame.

Published on: Sept 20, 2023 2:07 PM IST

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When we are brought up in dysfunctional homes with childhood trauma, we start to imbibe toxic shame in ourselves which continues to persist even in adulthood. "Toxic shame, unlike ordinary shame, is chronic. It is ongoing, persistent, and lives deep within our unconscious minds. We may not even be fully aware of what we’re experiencing, yet we experience shame in many areas of our lives," wrote Therapist Emmylou Antonieth Seaman. Here are a few signs that we are living with toxic shame. (Unsplash)

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We often feel an intense surge of sadness and remorse because of something that has been done to us.  (Unsplash)

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We do not feel confident about ourselves and believe that we are not good enough for anything or anyone.  (Unsplash)

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Feedback is not welcomed by us – we start to become defensive when we are spoken to about our shortcomings.  (Unsplash)

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We often feel lonely in a crowd – we have an intense feeling of loneliness even when we are surrounded by our loved ones.  (Unsplash)

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We struggle to be intimate with someone. We are scared of being vulnerable and opening up emotionally.  (Unsplash)