Guilt Quote by John Bradshaw
““INTERCONNECTION OF IMAGERY Another way that internalization occurs is by internalizing images. These internal images can be of a shaming person, place or actual experience. They can also be word images, i.e., sound imprints. Hearing someone say certain words may trigger old experiences of shame. Individual shame experiences are fused together by means of language and imagery. Kaufman says, “Scenes of shame become interconnected and magnified.” As the language, imagery and scenes associated with shame are fused together, the meaning of shame is transformed. “I feel shame” comes to mean “I am shameful, deficient in some vital way as a human being.” Shame is no longer one feeling among many, but comes to constitute the core of oneself. Internalized shame creates a frozen state of being. Shame is no longer an emotional signal that comes and goes. It is a deep, abiding, all-pervasive sense of being defective as a person. This core of defectiveness forms the foundation around which other feelings about the self will be experienced.””
About This Quote
Shame becomes a core identity when internal images and language fuse, turning a feeling into a pervasive self‑concept.
In simple terms: Shame can dominate self‑identity through repeated mental images.
Key Takeaway
Recognize and separate feeling from identity.
Themes
psychology
identity
shame
trauma
Mood
introspective
serious
Type
psychological
therapeutic
When to use this quote
- therapy
- self‑reflection
- support groups
- personal growth
Key Concepts
self‑concept
cognitive fusion
Questions to Reflect On
- What images trigger your shame?
- How can you reframe shame as a feeling, not a self?
A Different Perspective
Overcoming shame may require professional help and time.
