What is the fault of the survivor? How to fight?

survivor’s faultGuilt for surviving a life-threatening situation when others are unable to survive. It is a common reaction to traumatic events and a symptom of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). These events can range from a minor incident, such as a friend breaking his ankle while skiing together, to a major incident, such as a plane crash in which others die but you survive. Of course, traumatic events, as in the second example, lead to stronger feelings of guilt and to post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) can lead to Other events that can lead to survivor guilt include mass shootings, natural disasters, traffic accidents, and life-changing events such as the COVID-19 pandemic. In this text survivor’s fault We will review this phenomenon and focus on its symptoms and causes.

What is the fault of the survivor?

When you run away unharmed after a traumatic event while others are suffering, you are likely to ask yourself the following question again and again: “Why me?” Even if you are not the directly affected person, it can still bother and confuse you. You may even think that you don’t deserve forgiveness when others suffer. As a normal reaction, you may feel responsible for what happened, asking yourself if you can change something. But more often than not, the situation is out of your control, and what happened is not your fault. Survivors of a traumatic event;

• They may feel guilty for having survived.
• They may feel guilty because they believe they can do more to save the lives of others.
• They may feel guilty that someone else lost their life saving them.
• Survivor guilt is considered a symptom, not a specific mental health condition. However, that doesn’t make it any less serious.

Important note: We said that residual guilt is a symptom of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). However, people can experience survivor guilt without experiencing PTSD. Similarly, they can have PTSD without experiencing the condition.

What are the symptoms of survivor guilt?

The extent and severity of survivor guilt varies from person to person. Survivor Guilt Symptoms It can be both psychological and physical and often mimics the symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder. The most common symptoms:

• feeling of helplessness
• revisiting the traumatic event
• Problems concentrating, confusion
• Irritability
• lack of motivation
• mood swings and outbursts of anger
• intrusive thoughts about the event
• suicidal thoughts
• appetite changes
• Sleep difficulties and nightmares
• Headache
• nausea or abdominal pain

Even if there is nothing you can do to change what happened, you may develop a sense of personal responsibility for the event and develop distorted, overly negative ideas about yourself or the world in general:

• You may begin to see yourself as a bad person and believe that you deserve some kind of punishment.
• You may think that no one can be trusted.
• You may question your spiritual beliefs.
• You may view the world as a completely unfair or dangerous place.

Survivor guilt can have a profound effect on a person’s life and functioning. If not dealt with in a healthy way, it can lead to various mental health issues as well as post-traumatic stress disorder, including depression, anxiety, and substance use disorder.

Why do we feel this way?

Survivor guilt arises after some kind of trauma, as we explained above; that is, it is seen in people who have experienced it. Of course, not everyone who experiences such an experience develops a sense of guilt.

An individual’s locus of control may play a role in determining whether a survivor experiences guilt. Some people have a higher risk of internalizing crime. When explaining events, these people tend to attribute causality to personal characteristics rather than external factors. In many cases, this can be useful for self-assessment. Getting back to yourself first can improve relationships. But blaming yourself for events that are out of your control can be really mentally devastating. Factors that may increase someone’s risk of experiencing survivor guilt include:

• History of injury: Some research has shown that childhood trauma can increase the likelihood of experiencing negative emotions after other life-threatening events.
• History of depression: People who are currently depressed or have experienced it in the past may also be more likely to experience guilt and anxiety after trauma.
• . Low self-esteem:
• People with low self-esteem may value their own well-being less. Faced with the experience of surviving where others have died, they are more likely to wonder if they deserve it. This can lead to feelings of inferiority and even guilt. .
• Lack of social support: People who do not have a reliable social support network may be more likely to experience symptoms associated with survivor guilt.

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Avoidant coping style:

People with an avoidant coping style are more prone to PTSD.

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How can we deal with survivor guilt?

• If you’re experiencing symptoms like the ones we’ve detailed above, remember that it’s important to get the right treatment. This feeling of guilt not only impairs your mental health and quality of life, but it can also pose a serious risk, especially if other symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder are present. Experts say cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) may be particularly effective in combating survivors’ feelings of guilt. With CBT, clients work with the therapist to discover automatic negative thoughts that contribute to their feelings of guilt. Examining unrealistic thoughts and replacing them with more realistic ones can help alleviate feelings of guilt and self-blame. Other forms of psychotherapy include group therapy and support groups; drugs can also help treat survivors’ symptoms of guilt.
• soul-searching strategies If you feel guilty after an unpleasant event, look at what you can do to deal with this feeling. Here are some self-help strategies that can help:
• Let me suffer. It is important to acknowledge that there are people who have been lost and to allow them to be mourned. Take your time and do everything at your own pace.
• Multiply good. Whether it’s for yourself or for others, take those feelings and channel them into positive change in the world. Sometimes simply doing simple things for someone can lessen the guilt you feel.
• Focus on the external factors that led to the event. Switching your attention to the external variables that create the situation can help you stop “blaming yourself” which leads to guilt.

Practice self-forgiveness. Even if your actions hurt the other person, forgiving yourself can help you move forward and find a positive mindset.

Remember that the guilt you feel is normal.

Feeling guilty does not mean that you did something wrong and are to blame for it. Sadness, fear, anxiety, grief and, yes, guilt are perfectly normal reactions after a tragedy. You can be happy that you were lucky enough to survive, and at the same time mourn the loss of others.Important warning:If the symptoms you are experiencing are severe, or if guilt is affecting your life, be sure to see a specialist.

• Because of your trauma, you may experience symptoms of stress, as if you were there yourself!
• Psychological trauma can be defined as a situation in which a person struggles with and is exposed to an unexpected event in a way that empowers them. In addition to the traumas we experience individually, social traumas can equally affect our mental health. In fact, the negative content that we see today in social networks,
• alleged injury
• can cause the condition “. People who have experienced a perceived traumatic situation show signs of stress, as if they witnessed the event they were observing and were there themselves:
• Fear
• Anxiety
• Anger
• Guilt
• Shutdown

Headache Indifference

Despair

Anorexia