Quotes From The Article 'Shutting Shame Down'

“To feel shame is to be human.” This powerful quote from the article, “Shutting Shame Down” stopped me and made me think about the impact of shame in my life. The quote also made me think about how far the human race has fallen since creation. Over time, through sin, the human race has become used to feeling shamed and shameful; shame is a normal thing that everyone experiences. However, this was not how life was supposed to be. In the beginning God created everything and He saw that it was good. Now I cannot help but think what He sees when He looks down at us – it cannot be good.
When I was 16, I started my first job. I was so thrilled. On my first day of work I went in feeling hopeful, happy, adult-like; however, just a few months later I was left a helpless and broken little girl. I had been sexually abused. The hurt and shame that overcame me is unexplainable. I felt hurt and betrayed by a world that was not supposed to be this way and my life was forever changed. In the article, “Shutting Shame Down” it explains shame as an “intensely painful feeling or experience of believing that we are flawed and therefore unworthy of love and belonging.” After I had been sexually
Sexual abuse not only has consequences physically, but also emotionally and mentally. It also has long-term consequences for the adolescent’s later intimate relationships and parenting abilities. With all this in mind, it is incredibly hard to understand how someone, anyone can abuse another human without feeling repugnant. I also learned in class that all addictions begin with pain and being abused, whether emotionally, physically, verbally or sexually, can lead to being addicted to some addictive agent that causes pain relief. With a report of child abuse being made every ten seconds, it is easy to see why so many people turn to alcohol and drugs to relieve their