Although addiction often goes hand in hand with the emotional burden of extreme guilt, feelings of guilt can manifest before or after a person becomes an addict. Guilt can lead them to attempt to cope with their guilt by abusing one or more substances. Additionally, it can cause an addict to fail repeatedly to achieve sobriety and recovery.
Survivor’s guilt, also known as survivor guilt, survivor’s disorder, and survivor syndrome, is one of the most common forms of guilt linked to addiction. This informative guide explores survivor’s guilt in-depth, including how it develops, the general symptoms and mental health effects, its connection to substance abuse and addiction, and proven recovery options.
You or a loved one don’t have to attempt to walk the road of recovery alone while struggling with this emotional burden. Read on to learn more…
What is Survivor’s Guilt?
Medical professionals define survivor’s guilt as a unique psychological response that occurs after a traumatic event. A person usually feels this overwhelming guilt when they survive trauma that ended the lives of one or more loved ones or strangers.
Common causes of survivor’s guilt:
- Armed conflicts and war veterans
- Car accidents and hindsight bias
- Emergency and first response scenes
- Manmade and natural disasters
- Mass shootings and life-threatening events
- Overdose or general addiction survival
People who experience survivor’s guilt include:
- Addicts and former addicts
- Doctors, nurses and other medical personnel
- Emergency and first responders
- Individuals with mental health problems
- Members of the military and veterans
- People who have dangerous, high-risk jobs
- Survivors of abuse, accidents and crimes
Some people have deep empathy that causes them to feel survivor’s guilt because they can’t watch other people suffer in general. That said, many people struggle with it because of shared experiences.
For example, a person who built close bonds and strong relationships with one or more people dealing with seemingly insurmountable difficulties might struggle because they can’t help or they’re enjoying life. A person dealing with anxiety, depression, pessimism or post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) might experience survivor’s guilt faster than someone with excellent mental health.
This problem is especially true of addicts who have achieved sobriety. Recovering addicts often deal with dual-diagnosis mental health issues. They often unhealthily compare their life with the lives of other people and perform mental gymnastics that result in negative self-talk.
Even if an addict worked hard to succeed, they might feel unworthy and ask, “Why me?,” especially if they believe they didn’t have to struggle as much as someone else. They might also feel guilty if they had to protect their recovery progress by ending a relationship with someone who hasn’t succeeded.
The Mental, Physical and Social Toll
As shown so far, the ways an individual experiences survivor’s guilt vary based on internal and external factors that aren’t easy to understand at a glance. Survivors most commonly feel one or more of the following three things about their guilt:
- Blame or responsibility for the struggles or deaths of others
- Shame that they survived or couldn’t do more to help
- Undeserving of praise, recovery, good things or even life
The impact of this guilt can manifest in several ways:
Emotional
- Anxiety or panic
- Apathy
- Fear
- Irritability, anger or aggressiveness
- Low self-esteem, self-blame
- Mood swings
- Resentment
- Sadness or depression
Cognitive
- Difficulty focusing or concentrating
- Disinterest in activities or responsibilities
- Dwelling on the past or the traumatic event
- Flashbacks or nightmares
- Heightened risk-taking behaviors
- Increased bad decisions or misjudgments
- Intrusive negative thoughts
- Varying stages of suicidal thoughts
Physical
- Acne or rashes with or without inflammation
- Bouts of breathing difficulties, crying or shaking
- General aches, headaches or other pain
- Immune system dysfunction and illness
- Insomnia, night sweats or sleep disturbances
- Overeating or loss of appetite
- Uncontrollable pacing or other ticks
Relationships
- Avoidance of some social interactions
- Difficulty connecting with new people
- Heated discussions or arguments
- Inability to express needs
- Self-isolation or withdrawal
- Total communication breakdown
The Connection Between Survivor’s Guilt and Addiction
Survivor’s guilt doesn’t always cause or result from addiction, but the connection between the two is undeniable. People who experience a severe traumatic event are at high risk of abusing substances to cope with their emotional turmoil and developing dependence. Recovering addicts are at even higher risk because of cravings for addictive substances and often see others fail to achieve their same level of success.
In both scenarios, a person self-medicates with alcohol and drugs to numb themselves to their feelings and escape their psychological pain or treat PTSD. These methods for coping never provide long-term relief. Alcohol and drugs affect the human brain in ways that destabilize mental health and worsen negative feelings. These substances deepen cravings and dependence and create a cycle of abuse and addiction that drives a survivor with unprocessed trauma to dwell increasingly on their guilt.
Healthy Coping Strategies for Survivor’s Guilt
Whether a survivor dealt with a traumatic personal or mass event in which people died or fought addiction, they need to remember that they’re not at fault for having survived the experience. Yet, no fast fix exists to help them put an end to their survivor’s guilt. They need to address the underlying causes of the guilt, become more self-aware, and seek various methods of support.
Consider the following beneficial coping strategies:
- Acknowledge, accept and own guilt: Since it’s a natural response to trauma, guilt should never be ignored.
- Build a support system: Others with similar experiences in a support group can make a survivor feel less isolated or responsible.
- Celebrate the wins: A laser focus on success related to past or present hard work can decrease focus on guilt.
- Express gratitude: Showing appreciation or offering thanks moves a survivor to think more about good events rather than painful ones.
- Offer others help: Any type of activity can distract a survivor from their negative feelings, give them more purpose in life, and help them even work through their guilt.
- Perform healthy activities: Exercise, meditation, self-care and participation in hobbies can also serve to distract them from negative feelings.
- Practice positive self-talk: Compassion for the self elevates mood and is as important as compassion for others.
- Set personal and relationship rules: Boundaries can help a survivor feel less overwhelmed by their guilt and the needs of other people.
- Seek professional assistance: Beyond support groups, medically trained counselors, recovery specialists, therapists and others can teach a survivor to reveal the underlying causes of their guilt and learn better coping mechanisms.
When to Seek Help for Survivor’s Guilt and Addiction
The most obvious sign that it’s time to seek professional help is when a survivor can’t deal with their guilt without the unhealthy and even self-destructive coping strategy of using alcohol or drugs to attempt to escape their feelings. Other signs of self-destructive behavior caused by addiction include severe absence from school or work, related job loss, financial struggles and damaged relationships.
Many different addiction treatments and therapies can help a survivor regain their balance and enjoy sobriety and recovery. The professionals at Recreate Behavioral Health thoroughly understand survivor’s guilt and provide expert health care assistance without judgment. Their treatment options are specially designed to help an addict detox and manage withdrawal symptoms safely and then move forward with customized plans for treatment and recovery.
Recreate Behavioral Health offers medically assisted detox, inpatient residential addiction treatment, outpatient, intensive outpatient and partial hospitalization options. Their therapies include more than counseling and group therapy. They believe in holistic, evidence-based treatments, such as cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) and eye movement desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR), designed to alter a person’s negative perception about their life and deal head-on with the underlying causes of their guilt and addiction difficulties.
It’s Time to Let Go of Survivor’s Guilt
Guilt, in any form, is a natural response to life’s challenging situations. For survivors, the burden of guilt can significantly impact their well-being, making it crucial to seek support rather than attempting to cope alone. To address addiction, improve mental health, and alleviate coping with survivor’s guilt, professional care is essential. Detoxification, treatment, and rehabilitation processes facilitate the removal of harmful substances and introduce healthy coping mechanisms and therapeutic interventions. The compassionate team at Recreate Behavioral Health provides comprehensive assistance, including aftercare and alumni services.
While every life holds meaning, survivors often struggle to find their place, trapped by past trauma and focused on their pain. This can hinder their ability to fully engage with their own life and find joy. Residents and visitors in Long Island, NY, and surrounding areas experiencing this guilt can find effective addiction treatment and mental health support to navigate their feelings. If you or a loved one requires assistance or further information regarding survivor’s guilt and its impact on well-being, reach out to a knowledgeable professional at Recreate Behavioral Health today.
