Gail’s Bottom Line: When a secret is so big it expands to being a whole secret life - one that plagues you with negative emotions - you likely will need professional help to uncover the secret you are keeping from yourself. Ultimately, you are the one who has to live with yourself and your conscience.ĭr. Those feelings will probably worsen over time. Clearly, the secret life isn’t working for you if it causes such guilt and shame.