- Causes include degradation, humiliation, hurtful criticism and betrayal
- In some cases people can feel unclean for months after the trauma
- Stanley Rachman's therapy aims to untangle the association between fear and the source of the fear
400-years later and Lady Macbeths' torment are still echoed by huge numbers of people who feel dirty even when they are physically clean.
Often this is a result of physical and emotional trauma, according to Stanley Rachman, a professor at the Institute of Psychiatry in London.
He claims this 'mental contamination' is caused by feelings such as degradation, humiliation, hurtful criticism and betrayal.
In a recent editorial in the journal Nature, he says: 'The source of the pollution is not an external contaminant such as blood or dirt, but human interaction.
'The affected person develops strong feelings of contamination that are evoked by direct contact with the violator or indirect contacts such as memories, images or reminders of the violation.'
Often, people are unwilling or unable to speak the name of the violator.
Professor Rachman led a study of 50 young women who had been sexually assaulted. Many of the women reported feeling 'polluted' after the assault and engaged in compulsive washing.
A substantial minority continued to feel unclean for months afterward.
'This discovery has large and immediate implications for clinical treatment,' said Professor Rachman.
For instance a common technique to treat compulsive washing is something called exposure and response prevention, where patients are exposed to unclean objects.
The therapy aims to untangle the psychological 'conditioned' association between fear and the source of the fear.
Previous research has found that the areas of the brain that deal with physical cleanliness likely overlap with those that process psychological purity.
For instance, a number of research teams have been able to establish a clear link between not only washing hands to clear trauma, but also by those who want to absolve guilt.
The idea that it is possible to wash away our sins is deep rooted in many cultures and religions, including Christianity.
Water is a cornerstone of baptism ceremonies and, in the Bible, Pontius Pilate washed his hands after condemning Jesus to death.
'If the effects of the therapy are confirmed, it would have a major impact,' writes Professor Rachman.
'We would at last be able to treat the many patients who are currently, like Lady Macbeth, beyond our help.'
Source: Nature
This article is about SHAME (disgust/revulsion/loathing), and not HUMILIATION -- per Brene Brown:
The main difference is the self-talk that goes along with either, and how that defines if a parent might ever hear of their child being abused and/or attacked :
__ SHAME __ is about being a mistake, not having made one. This comes from the negative denigrating self-talk that expects to find evidence of being unworthy and not deserving, everyday. Because the child expects this negativity, the parent is unlikely to ever hear of this, and the hidden suffering will continue and to likely to increase.
__ HUMILIATION __ is about having made a mistake, that anyone could've make. This comes from the positive self-talk that expects good conduct and appreciation, and being found worthy and deserving, everyday. Because the child expects this positivity, the parent is likely to hear of how this hurtful occasion came to pass.
__ GUILT __ is about feeling bad in having made a mistake, so as to emphasize not choosing that behavior again
Namaste