Survivor Guilt Theory

To understand what survivor guilt is we must first understand why it is that people develop this condition. There are many theories and ideas behind it, one borrows from Freud's theory about the mind and its three parts, the id, the ego and the superego. It is the superego or the conscience that allows us to maintain control over our behavior and not develop antisocial behavior (Fink, 2009). It is also what can bring about survivor guilt, especially in those who have suffered a traumatic experience. This is because the moral conscience cannot seem to justify why they were allowed to live and their friends and family weren't so they dive into depression and other conditions(Fink, 2009). Another theory came from Nancy Weinberg of the University…show more content…
It has been found that group therapy helps those affected deal with the loss they suffered. Medical treatment by a psychiatrist will involve counseling and it is important for the provider to listen to the entire story first then proceeding to attack the problem. One way of doing this is by "separating the rational or cognitive component from the emotional "grief" component." (Wilson, Harel, & Kahana, 1988). This allows the patient to still feel the sadness but it allows the provider to help focus on the cognitive aspect. In fact it is said that over time the affect or sadness the feel will diminish, in a way it is a sort of desensitization. Cognitive restructuring is also helpful because most patients remember the traumatic event a certain way and nothing will change it, but by helping the patient view the event in a different light it may change their perspective of the event and they may benefit greatly. A breakthrough is reached when the patient starts to get confused on the event that triggered the survivor guilt, this means that the patient can now focus on other aspects of that day or maybe even remember details that were forgotten due to the initial shock. At the end of the day it is the way the patient sees them self that is of most importance (Wilson, Harel, & Kahana, 1988). So as nurses we must take action and assist the patient…show more content…
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