We have all felt shame at one time or another. Maybe we were teased for mispronouncing a common word or for how we looked in a particular dress. Shame makes us direct our focus inward and view our entire self in a negative light. Feelings of guilt, in contrast, result from a concrete action for which we accept responsibility. Guilt causes us to focus our attention on the feelings of others. Shame is the uncomfortable sensation we feel in the pit of our stomach when it seems we have no safe haven from the judging gaze of others. We feel small and bad about ourselves and wish we could vanish. Although shame is a universal emotion, how it affects mental health and behaviour is not self-evident.

To discuss further on the subject we have Prof. Rukmini Sen from the School of Liberal Studies, Ambedkar University, Delhi and Prof. Anita Ghai from the School of Human Studies, Ambedkar University, Delhi.

The discussion is moderated by Prof. Krishna Menon from the School of Human Studies, Ambedkar University, Delhi.