FeelingGuide

Shame vs Sickened

Shame

negative emotion

Shame is a complex emotional response that arises when an individual perceives that they have failed to meet personal or societal standards, leading to feelings of worthlessness, embarrassment, and a desire to hide or escape from the situation.

Sickened

negative emotion

Sickened refers to a profound feeling of disgust, nausea, or revulsion that can be triggered by a variety of stimuli, including moral, physical, or emotional factors, often leading to strong aversion or withdrawal from the source of discomfort.

Key Differences

AspectShameSickened
Sentimentnegativenegative
Typeemotionemotion
NatureShame tends to be more destructive than constructive. While it can promote awareness of social norms and encourage accou...Sickened tends to be more destructive, particularly when it leads to avoidance or isolation. However, it can be construc...

Shame's Perspective

Shame is often confused with guilt, but they are distinct emotions. While guilt relates to feeling bad about specific actions, shame is more about feeling bad about oneself as a whole. Guilt can motivate corrective action, whereas shame may lead to avoidance and withdrawal.

Sickened's Perspective

Sickened is often confused with disgust; however, while both emotions involve aversion, sickened tends to be more intense and can encompass a wider range of moral or emotional responses. Disgust is commonly a more immediate reaction to sensory stimuli, whereas sickened may involve deeper psychological processes related to values and beliefs.

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