Excessive shame is a prison.
It keeps a person caged in feelings of worthlessness, self-hatred, and even despair. It is very likely that excessive shame is what you're dealing with if you are extremely self-conscious and often feel unable to speak or act. Shamed people often find themselves in awkward situations, wanting to escape but incapable of making themselves leave. Shamed people fear that if others really knew them, they'd be disgusted or hate them. People who have been shamed also dread being caught in a mistake of any kind.