How prone am I to guilt ?
Guilt
Shame
- Intense feeling of guilt
- Humiliation, distress, regret, self-hate
Differences between guilt and shame
- Shade and intensity of ill feeling
- Qualitative experiences
- Recognition of lousy behavior – guilt
- Declaration of self a bad person – shame
Guilt is functional
- Introspect
- Undo damage
- Moral and pro-social behavior
- Apologize
- Fix the problem
Shame is dysfunctional
- Excessive introspection
- Focus on self-feeling, self-conduct
- Overreact
Continued...
Shame is dysfunctional
- Misbehave
- Angry on self and others
- Withdraw
Tips for Guilt
- Use guilt only to seek correction
- Resist pushing one to the point of shame
Continued...
Tips for Guilt
- Seek help if experiencing guilt or shame
- Help others in coming out of guilt or shame