An effect of trauma

Shame or feeling like something is broken in you

Not guilt about something you did. Shame about who you are. The bone deep conviction that you are fundamentally flawed, defective, unlovable, or not enough. That if people really knew you they would leave. That you are different from other people in a way that cannot be fixed. Core shame is almost always the result of how you were treated, not evidence of who you actually are.

It can sound like

“I feel broken.” “Something is wrong with me.” “If anyone really knew me they would leave.” “I am ashamed of who I am.” “I feel unlovable.”

If any of those sentences live in your head too, you are in good company here.

Experiences this often follows

Effects do not come from nowhere. These are some of the experiences that people who carry this one often describe. You do not need to have been through any of them for what you feel to be real.

Nothing on this page is a diagnosis, and nothing here decides what is wrong with you, because nothing is wrong with you. Something happened to you. This page exists so that when you are ready, you can find people who understand it from the inside.

You do not have to carry this alone.

Bridge of Hope Recovery is a free, anonymous, peer-led fellowship for trauma survivors. Meetings run throughout the week by phone, by video, and in person. No cost, no waitlist, no one asking for your real name.

Find a meeting Join the fellowship

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