What is Shaming Others?

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Shaming Others

Shaming others means trying to make someone feel bad about themselves by putting them down, often in front of other people. It aims to cause embarrassment, humiliation, or a sense of being “less than” so they feel ashamed, not just corrected.​

What shaming others looks like

Shaming is when someone attacks a person’s worth or character (“You’re disgusting”, “What’s wrong with you?”), rather than just pointing out a specific behaviour that needs to change. It often involves public criticism, mocking, name‑calling, or exposing someone’s mistakes in a harsh way so others will judge them too.​

Why shaming is harmful

Shaming others can crush self‑esteem, create fear and secrecy, and damage trust in relationships, because the person feels rejected instead of helped. Over time, being shamed is linked with strong, painful shame feelings, anxiety, depression, and a tendency either to withdraw or to fight back aggressively.

Further Reading​