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Abstract
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For many healthcare workers, working is more than just a job. Work provides meaning and is an integral part of one's identity. There is a sense of pride associated with the consequential work of caring for others in their time of need.
It should be no surprise, then, that wounding this identity can evoke profound feelings of shame. Challenges to one's identity as a healthcare worker can include system issues, medical errors, impostor syndrome, burnout, or the difficult choice in any moment to prioritize one's family responsibilities over one's work. Mental or physical health issues can also disrupt one's ability to perform at the highest level at work. When we start to feel that we are falling short due to any of these reasons, shame can create even more harm.
Shame is a common social emotion that may promote a whole host of problems. Shame can be defined as an "intensely painful feeling or experience of believing we are flawed and therefore unworthy of acceptance and belonging" (1). In contrast to guilt, in which behavior is judged negatively (e.g., "I practiced badly"), shaming creates a sense of "I am bad" as compared to socialized standards (1). Shame causes one to hide or disappear or escape, creating secrets and aloneness (1). Shame itself is associated with "poor self-esteem, depression, eating disorders, abuse, and addiction," with depression being a risk factor for suicide (1).
Language: en |