Survivor Guilt

[annie-banannie]

Anyone feel survivor guilt? I know both of my parents had anxiety and depression and they never got help. I keep wondering if all our lives would have been different if they had found this program.

[Paisleegreen]

What are you a survivor of?

[annie-banannie]

Surviving the anxiety and depression...finding and working this program that my parents never had a chance to do.

[freemind]

Yes, I feel guilt. My dad passed last year. I'm sure his years of alcohol abuse was self medicating. There is a long history of abuse and booze in my family. I geel guilty. Like they never had a chance to have a real life. I refuse to go out that way. For me and my family. I am learning to undrestand my past. MY PAST. So that it does not hurt my familys future. Although we feel the guilt now, we must make a promise to ourselves not to let it consume us. We have to move forward. Respect the past but let it go.

[Flyer99]

Annie, welcome to the program and to the website. I understand what you mean, but you musn't let that interfere with your life and living. This is about YOU. Freemind said it best, "Respect the past but let it go". If you harbour guilt it will deter you from your progress. Besides, you have nothing at all to feel guity about. Enjoy the program and the progress that you will be making. Be in the "now" not in the past, there is nothing we can do about it anyway. Good luck!

[Paisleegreen]

Think about it, your parents era had commercials promoting cigs and alcohol. All the TV shows had people drinking constantly and they had commercials for beer all the time. They were in the magazines and billboards, everywhere! It has only been since 1987 that they started to ban smoking in the work place or some work places. People didn't wear their seatbelts either when they drove.

Then medical science has discovered many things about the mind and better medication is just starting to appear. You are lucky to live in a time period where medical science is great, but people's behavior is pretty disgusting! Not to mention how drugs are more available and more potent than they have ever been and access to young children is rampant. You can only control your behavior and hope that the people you trust are honest. But don't beat yourself up if someone takes advantage of you, you need to remember that sometimes the brightest and the best are victimized.

Also, there is a bigger picture to the meaning of life that is beyond our control. The world just didn't appear here over night.
Paislee