Guilt vs. Shame

I read this on a blog today:

"I’m realizing just how powerful shame is. More than any other emotion, shame separates us from ourselves and from others. Guilt doesn’t do that. When I feel guilty about something I often work to make it right. But when I feel shame about something I work to hide it. That’s the difference. Shame wants to hide. Shame does not want to be seen or noticed. Shame becomes defensive and angry and resentful and bitter. It gnaws away at us and drives us deeper into the dark pit of despair, breeding feelings of inadequacy and unworthiness spiraling us to great depths of hiding. Shame convincingly tell us the lie that if we are seen and known we will not survive."

I love this definition of the differences between guilt and shame.  I've read a lot about shame and experienced a lot of shame.  I've already read a lot about guilt.  But I haven't succinctly seen the differences written out like this.

Guilt motivates me to change.  When I feel guilt about something, I work to make it right.

Shame motivates me to hide.  When I feel shame, I want to fall away into the darkness.

After reading this and the rest of the post -- which is awesome -- I thought about the things in my life that I am still hiding from and not changing. 

-- My food addiction / appearance issues

That is the major one..... of course I can think of many, many more.  But that is the one I know is holding me back right now.

I also know the only way to shed the shame is to talk about it and putting it out there on the internet on an anonymous blog, doesn't count.  You have to say it out loud to people who know you. 

It's interesting to me that I am willing to go to a Sexaholics Anonymous meeting and talk about sex, masturbation, lust, pornography, etc., but I am too ashamed to say: I also have a food addiction.  The years I wasn't acting out sexually, I was acting out with food.  Sure, I've told some people about seeing a nutritional therapist.  But for whatever reason, there is still a large layer of shame around this food / appearance / body image issues.  I need to figure out how to break it down.