Shame
A painful sense that the self as a whole is deficient, prompting a wish to hide — global and self-directed, unlike Guilt's action-specific focus.
How it shows up
Shame can follow a mistake, a criticism, or a moment of exposure, and sometimes appears with no clear trigger. It often brings a wish to hide, shrink, or disappear, along with heat in the face and a sense that the problem is oneself rather than one's actions. It can be very painful and isolating, and often hard to put into words or share. Its global, whole-self focus distinguishes it from guilt.
How it differs from Guilt
Guilt focuses on a specific action and leans toward repair; shame judges the whole self as deficient and leans toward hiding.
Notice
When shame appears, notice whether the voice is speaking about something you did or about who you are.
Where it is felt
Felt most in the face, chest and stomach.
Based on Nummenmaa et al. (2014), bodily maps of emotions, and related research. The map shows where people report bodily sensation, on average; individual experience varies.