internalized shame
Swallowed negative self-judgment
Internalized shame is a deep-seated sense of being fundamentally flawed or unworthy, absorbed from external criticism, rejection, or mistreatment until it becomes part of one's self-concept.
Unlike guilt, which attaches to specific actions, internalized shame attaches to identity itself: Her internalized shame made her believe she didn't deserve happiness.
The term appears frequently in psychology and recovery contexts.
- self-loathingIntense disgust toward oneself
- guiltMoral self-reproach
- worthlessnessLack of any value
- toxicCapable of causing harm
- unworthinessLack of merit
not good enough · self-blame · defective · hidden · secret · core · core belief · deep down · wound · childhood · trauma · carrying weight · silent · suppressed · undeserving · damaged · flawed · disgust
- LGBTQgay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender, queer
- LGBTQ discriminationhomophobia, transphobia, biphobia, hate crimes, prejudice
- Queer Literaturegay fiction, queer fiction, gay characters, lesbian fiction, queer authors
internalized shameself-love
Prioritizing your own worth
self-worth · self-acceptance · self-compassion · self-respect · self-affirmation
internal, internalize, internalizes, internalizing, internalization, intern, interior, shame, shamed