Let Go of Shame to Reap the Reward of Joy

I realized that shame can be a major deterrent in the lives of survivors in fact it's one of the major reasons why survivors of sexual and physical crimes have a hard time sharing their story. When someone has shame, they are hurting themselves internally, blaming themselves for the events that caused their PTSD and It makes them feel deeply flawed as a human, worthless, and in many cases, unlovable. (Greg W, 2020) It's okay to be vulnerable and allow yourself too just be.  My reasons for writing on this topic are not to focus on shame but to simply provide you with a few tools that may be able to assist you on your journey to healing by allowing yourself to be completely vulnerable and open minded to explore the things that cause you to feel shame so that you can overcome the feeling of shame. 

Overcoming Shame# #1

Revisit your childhood- This might seem easy but it's harder for some people because the past can sometimes be painful. if you are going to revisit the past make sure to assess your readiness to do so to prevent further stress and always seek a mental health professional. 

Overcoming Shame #2

Acknowledge the trauma and triggers- Acknowledging your trauma and the triggers you can help eliminate unnecessary stress which has ability to activate the feeling of shame and overthinking. Triggers are external events or circumstances that may produce very uncomfortable emotional or psychiatric symptoms, such as anxiety, panic, discouragement, despair, or negative self-talk. (Mental Health Net n.d.)

Overcoming Shame #3

Riding Yourself of negative self-talk- Negative self-talk comes from having a fixed mindset. To be an overcomer of shame one must believe that they can achieve a growth mindset. Having a growth mindset builds resilience to setbacks in life and can potentially help you overcome the feeling of shame.