Shame is one of the most destructive emotions, especially if it is of the "toxic" variety.
In the book, Healing the Shame That Binds You, John Bradshaw describes the difference between "healthy vs toxic shame" in that, "Healthy shame is an emotion which signals us about our limits...and keeps us grounded," where, "Toxic shame is experienced as the all-pervasive sense that I am flawed and defective as a human being."
Shame seldom uplifts but rather beats down and can negatively impact the sense of self and how you relate to others. People who are heavily shame based often engage in self-sabotaging behaviors because of the negativity of their personal narrative.
Thankfully, shame can be worked with and often involves digging out the weeds of past experience, particularly in the family of origin. In my experience, truly happy people tend to be free of "toxic shame," which allows them to have a solid sense of self, belief in their value to others and hope for the future.
One of the most passionate areas of my therapy work with individuals (and couples) is helping to free people from the damaging shame they carry.
Learn more at MarinTherapyandCounseling.com.