MIND-BODY CONNECTION
Moving Beyond Survivor Guilt
By Laurie Wertich
"Tell me, what is it you plan to do
with your one wild and precious life?"
—Mary Oliver
me? This is a normal response to such an
of guilt and sadness. Why did I survive
overwhelming diagnosis. Why did I get this
when others did not? Why was I so lucky?
disease? Why am I sick when others are not?
Why do I have to endure this treatment?
C
WHAT IS SURVIVOR GUILT?
ancer survivorship can be
Though generally unanswerable, it is a
Survivor guilt is common among survivors
accompanied by a unique
completely reasonable question.
of traumatic events—such as war, natural
set of emotions—joy, grief,
In the shift from diagnosis to treatment
disasters, accidents, and even acute or long-
fear, relief, deep gratitude, a
and on to recovery, the primary question
term illnesses such as cancer. Survivor guilt
heightened sense of purpose, and an over-
changes. More often than not, most can-
refers to the sense of guilt or responsibility
whelming sense of responsibility to live life
cer patients move pretty quickly from Why
that can occur when one person survives a
to the fullest.
me? to What's next? What do I need to do to
traumatic event that others did not. And,
But there is another nagging feeling that
survive? How can I best care for myself dur-
yes, cancer can be a traumatic event.
can sneak into the mix: guilt. Survivorship
ing treatment? What will I do with my pre-
is such a blessing, yet in spite of that bless-
cious life after treatment?
"Not all of our patients experience cancer
as a traumatic event," explains Rhonda Col-
Here's where it gets interesting: in the
ley, MS, LPT, LMFT, a mind-body therapist
face of survivorship, many patients find
at Cancer Treatment Centers of America®
themselves also circling back around to
(CTCA) in Tulsa, Oklahoma. "But even if
WHY ME?
that first question as they move beyond
they aren't traumatized, they can still ex-
The first question that many people ask
diagnosis to treatment and recovery, only
perience survivor guilt, which means basi-
in the face of a cancer diagnosis is Why
this time Why me? carries with it a twinge
cally feeling guilty that they got through this
ing, we often find ourselves reflecting on
those who have not been as fortunate.
40 cancer fighters thrive | spring 2013
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