>> Why We Have This Emotion
Survivor's guilt pushes us to honor those affected, but we can't do enough. It's empathy that recognizes the pain, but refuses to let us move on because the connection can't find a way to close
◎ What to do in the moment
Good Ideas
- Name what you survived or escaped
- Remind yourself, luck is not a crime
- Honor them with a concrete act
- Grieve without punishing yourself
- Channel your efforts meaningfully
- Separate their pain from your worth
- Talk to a therapist
Bad Ideas
- Let it stop you from thriving
- Use guilt as a form of atonement
- Avoid them because you feel guilty
- Downplay or deny your own struggles
- Mistake guilt as proof that you're bad
- Pretend the disparity isn't real
- Punish yourself for surviving