"Another Pain That Follows Disasters and Wars: The Reason Guilt Doesn't Disappear - A New Perspective on Protecting Mental Health"

"Another Pain That Follows Disasters and Wars: The Reason Guilt Doesn't Disappear - A New Perspective on Protecting Mental Health"

 1) When "Surviving" Becomes an Emotional Wound

After escaping disasters, wars, accidents, or violence, people around you might say, "It's good you survived" or "You're safe now." However, some individuals feel an inexplicable heaviness in their hearts before relief.


"I was the only one who survived," "I should have died instead," "I was saved but haven't given anything back." This "guilt" differs slightly from moral reflection. It's a feeling that blames one's very existence, not just the morality of actions.


In an interview with WELT, trauma research expert Andreas Maercker emphasizes this very point. Guilt can be closely linked to depression. In other words, it's not just that "a painful event occurred," but the "mental circuit that continues to judge oneself afterward" can deepen depression.


2) Guilt Can Be Both a "Normal Reaction" and a "Dangerous Swamp"

Guilt has a social role. When one feels they have hurt someone, it can become a force to consider atonement and repair relationships. However, in the context of trauma, guilt can easily expand beyond the realm of actual responsibility.


"Just happened to sit in a different seat," "went out that day," "was lucky" — even when life and death are divided by a series of coincidences, the heart finds it hard to accept randomness. It craves meaning and causality. Therefore, one tries to understand the world, even if it means blaming oneself. By blaming oneself, the world still feels "consistent."


This mechanism may seem cruel, but it is very human. The problem arises when this self-judgment doesn't end. Excessive guilt disrupts sleep, appetite, and concentration, ties into feelings of helplessness, and intensifies symptoms of depression. Furthermore, by thinking "I'm strange for suffering like this," one blames themselves doubly, blocking the path to recovery.


3) "Don't Doubt Your Experience" — Prerequisite for Recovery

What is striking in the interview is the attitude of not belittling the narratives of those involved. The effects of trauma are hard to see from the outside. That's why, when told "it's not a big deal" or "you're overthinking," the person involved becomes more isolated and amplifies their guilt internally.


The first step in support is not measuring the "objective magnitude" of the event but creating a safe space where the person can put into words "what is painful." Recovery is closer to returning to a state where one can retell the story without being overwhelmed, rather than forgetting the event.


It is also important not to misunderstand resilience as a "talent of strong people." Resilience is not about individual grit but is greatly influenced by environmental conditions such as support from those around, stability of life, access to medical care, and how the community responds.


4) Why Is It Said That "There Is Less PTSD in Poor Countries"?

The WELT article also touches on the point that "there is less PTSD in poor countries." This is an area prone to misunderstanding.


Rushing to conclusions like "the poor are stronger" or "developed countries are lenient" turns it into a mental argument, obscuring the need for support. In reality, multiple factors are involved, such as how diagnoses are made, healthcare-seeking behavior, cultural differences in expressing symptoms, how research data is collected, and the presence or absence of social safety nets.


For example, if access to medical and psychological support is limited, reaching a diagnosis is difficult in the first place. If symptoms are expressed as physical symptoms or organized in religious or communal vocabulary, they may not fit into the "PTSD" category. Conversely, the small numbers do not necessarily mean "fewer people are suffering."


This issue is directly connected to the real problem of "whether there is a pathway to support," rather than statistics or diagnostic names.


5) Reactions on SNS: Empathy and Caution Spread Simultaneously

 

This theme tends to polarize reactions on SNS. The following voices are particularly noticeable.


(1) Strong Empathy from Those Involved and Supporters
Reactions like "I was saved by the term 'survivor's guilt'" and "Having a name for my emotions lightened the burden a bit." Especially, posts overlap with the feeling of "continuously blaming oneself" in a wide context, not just disasters or accidents, but also domestic violence, bullying, caregiving, and workplace harassment.


Moreover, there is easy agreement from supporters on the stance of "don't doubt experiences," with comments like "believing first is the foundation before treatment."


(2) Discomfort with How "Resilience" Is Used
On the other hand, there is caution with comments like "Don't turn resilience into an argument of effort" and "'Be strong' is secondary harm." Short words tend to take on a life of their own on SNS. Those who have experienced the concept of resilience being used as a whip of self-responsibility tend to have strong opposition.


(3) Rebuttals and Supplements to "There Is Less PTSD in Poor Countries"
This part is particularly prone to debate.


Criticism arises easily with comments like "Aren't they just undiagnosed?" "The suffering is the same, just with different words," and "Don't dismiss the reality of not reaching support as 'less.'" Meanwhile, from a research perspective, there are supplements like "Cultural and communal support can also contribute to recovery."


In other words, the expression "less" is sensitive and can be misread without careful explanation of the context.


(4) Exhaustion from "Comparing Hardships"
Many are tired of the atmosphere of "it's indulgent to suffer when others have it worse." The moment trauma discussions create a hierarchy of suffering, those involved fall silent. SNS reactions are sensitive to this point.


6) What We Can Do to Cope with "Guilt"

Here, I would like to organize practical hints based on the article's points (not as a substitute for medical treatment, but as a way to support daily life).

  • Consider Together "Is It Your Fault?"
    Not a conclusion, but a consideration. It is difficult to resize the scope of responsibility to reality alone.

  • Don't Rush to Attribute Meaning
    "The experience has meaning" can sometimes be empowering in the later stages of recovery, but when said early on, it can be a blade.

  • Aim for "Safe Living" Rather Than "Returning to Normal"
    The more small safeties like being able to sleep, eat, go out, and talk are in place, the weaker the amplification of guilt becomes.

  • Don't Be Ashamed to Connect to Experts
    When distress continues, life falls apart, or suicidal thoughts arise, connecting to medical or specialized support is not a defeat.


And above all, "surviving" is not evidence of betraying someone. Survivor's guilt can emerge as a reflection of "kindness" or "sense of responsibility." Therefore, it is worth addressing head-on.


It's about transforming guilt into a form where it doesn't dominate, rather than erasing it. Maercker's discussion aims to show this path in real terms.


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