"Shame" is defined as a painful feeling of humiliation or distress caused by consciousness of wrong or foolish behavior. I have been affected by shame since I was very young and still experience shame to this day. When I was young, I was told by people who were supposed to care and love me that I was "stupid", "an embarrassment", and "a loser", telling me really hurtful things. Actually, I grew up believing that these things they told me were true which pretty much set me up for failure. It really wasn’t until I was 27 years old that I realized that everything that was said to me wasn’t true and that it was probably just a projection of what they felt about themselves. Shame can really affect a person’s life in a horrible way.  My shame caused me to miss out on a lot in my life that I wish I could get back. Thanks to God, I found my way to South Orange Count Detox and Treatment where I am learning to find truth and realize that I don’t have to get stuck in my shame, but that I can use it to motivate me to do better.