The great thing about AA and working the steps is that I found out there are things I have no business feeling guilty about. When I consumed alcohol, I became drugged. That's not an excuse, it's a fact. When a person is drugged, they do things they wouldn't normally do. I may owe some amends for my actions but to beat myself up feeling guilty isn't constructive. It's destructive! So, I was able to distinguish between the two which helped me to deal with those feelings of guilt. Shame is different. I think shame stems from the idea that somehow I'm flawed. There's something wrong with me that isn't wrong with everyone else. What's different about me is that I'm an alcoholic and that's not my fault! Take away the alcohol and I'm the same as everyone else. I should feel guilty if I discover that I'm alcoholic, and have a list of my defects of character and then continue the same behavior as I did when drinking. So, there's REAL guilt and guilt from feeling sorry for myself. The trick is to figure out which is which.
