Overcoming cancer survivor guilt

Getting past the shock of a cancer diagnosis and through all the difficulties of treatment is a hard-won accomplishment for cancer survivors. Unfortunately for some, lingering guilt is another unwelcome side effect.

A recent small survey of lung cancer patients found that more than half had negative feelings about surviving their disease when others did not. Guilt can also seep in when people believe they're a burden to family members, blame themselves for their diagnosis or feel down instead of "lucky" as others expect.

It's possible to overstate the prevalence of cancer survivor guilt, says IHPI member Bradley Zebrack, a professor of social work at U-M's School of Social Work. He makes a distinction between the emotion of feeling guilty and the cognitive process people use to draw meaning from their cancer experience.