adam kay
Doctor-turned-publishing phenomenon Adam Kay on how shame has shaped his life, work and sexuality – and how he learned to break free from its shackles
TRIGGER WARNING: This article contains references to and some description of sexual assault and eating disorders
Shame isn’t without its uses. The dread of it certainly makes me think a lot more carefully when I’m choosing sunglasses, for fear of looking ridiculous. But on the whole it’s pernicious, powerful and suffocating. I’ve spent much of my life hobbled by shame, and while I’ll never be rid of it, I’ve definitely come to terms with it, much as I’ve come to terms with my nose hair or the fact that I’m unlikely to represent my country at the Olympics. I can’t remember a lecture at medical school about how to cure shame,
