The harming power of shame
Shame is a pervasive, multidimensional emotion influencing brain, body and social life. While shame can foster accountability, its toxic forms drive stigma, withdrawal and mental illness. We call for systemic, culturally sensitive interventions to transform phatological shame into healing, fostering empathy, accountability and psychological safety in care, education and policy.
Authors
- Agustín M. Ibáñez (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6758-5101)
- Hernando A Santamaría‐García (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9422-3579)
- Sandra Baez
- Brian Lawlor
Institutions
- University College Dublin (IE)
- Universidad de Los Andes (CO)
- Universidad de Los Andes (VE)
- Trinity College Dublin (IE)
- Adolfo Ibáñez University (CL)
- Pontificia Universidad Javeriana (CO)
- Istanbul Medipol University (TR)
- University of San Andrés (AR)
- Instituto de Neurología Cognitiva (AR)
- Hospital Universitario San Ignacio (CO)
- Global Brain Health Institute (US)
Publication Details
- Journal
- The British Journal of Psychiatry
- Published
- 2025-12-05
- DOI
- https://doi.org/10.1192/bjp.2025.10503
- Primary Topic
- Emotions and Moral Behavior
- Type
- article
- Field-Weighted Citation Impact
- 0.00
Funders
- Alzheimer's Association
- University of Cambridge
- Agencia Nacional de Investigación y Desarrollo
- National Institutes of Health
- Fogarty International Center
- Fondo de Financiamiento de Centros de Investigación en Áreas Prioritarias