Codependency Support Group
Codependency is defined as someone who exhibits too much, and often inappropriate, caring for another person's struggles. A codependent person may try to change, or feel shame about their most private thoughts and feelings if they conflict with the other person's struggles. If you are on a journey towards self-love, this support group is for you. Join us and find others...
I feel shame even when other people are acting up or have done something shameful. For example,watching new York mayor's affair with an escort made me feel shameful. Someone getting caught evading taxes or something disgraceful makes me feel shameful.,eventhough I have paid my taxes in full or haven't done anything wrong. Does codependency have anything to do with it? I have a narcissistic mother and I think I have some codependency issues.
Like me... I will feel embarrassed when I watch those TV singing shows and the person messes up.
I think it's just some of our extra sensitive makeup. Don't fret about it.
When I was young then I would see such things and just feel uncomfortable, so it was only after I started studying codependency that I learned how to identify my feelings and I learned the names for each feeling, and so now I recognize them.
In my younger uninformed days then I did not know when it was shame or guilt or fear or any feeling as I would just be uncomfortable or just hide away or try to ignore it or of course just try to fight the feeling(s) and suppress the feelings because I did not like to feel that way.
Now today when I feel shame or anger or pain then now I see the feelings and I can name each feeling and now I do not need to suppress it and I do not need to be uncomfortable and now I can just feel the feelings.
I think it is cool to feel feelings for people on TV and I certainly do that myself. That is a BIG reason why I stopped watching violent programs or horror shows because since I do now feel those feelings being projected from the screen then the very intense movies will keep me upset for days and weeks and even years after. In 1973 the horror movie "The Exorcist" came out and just the memory of that show still troubles me today 40 years later.
I really see it as a sign of emotional health.
I also see those who just keep watching and exciting their self without understanding the consequence are hurting their self.
Just my opinion - of course.
I'm just starting out with all this so you can take this with a grain of salt, but based off what I've read about Codependency and "where it comes from" what you're describing could be a sign of impaired internal boundaries, and yes, it can be an issue seen in codependency. If your boundaries are not healthy or whole it is easy to feel something in response to something outside of yourself, such as what you're describing. That's why for some codependents it's hard/scary to attend social events, because they never feel safe. Watching someone make a mistake can be painful to witness even if it doesn't make sense.
But as I said I'm just starting out with all this and my sources could be inaccurate. Good luck.