COVID Survivor Guilt - Is it a thing?

[neoprema]

So, i'm speaking to a lot of people lately who've lost someone they know - be it close, or distance friends/relatives since March 2020 and slightly more now.
It got me thinking, based on some people's comments, that maybe some people are feeling survivors guilt? Say You're a 40-yr old man, overweight, unhealthy not fit etc and you get COVID-19 and you're a bit sick and its over. You know of someone who was 40-yr old man, fit, healthy and never got sick - they got COVID-19 and died.

What if a part of you feels guilty because all things equal you were supposed to have got it worse, and you probably shouldn't have survived? Why did they die instead of you?

I guess it can be applied to many other things too, but I'm thinking of it more in line with COVID now.

 

[Sinbad]

Definitely have a flavour of this having gotten out of SA, had my 2 vaccines, and watching my friends and family in SA getting sick and /or being scared...

 

[neoprema]

I have become extremely good at burying emotions quickly and properly. For example at a funeral even of someone close I won't cry or anything - the moment I feel it I bury the emotions fast and i've become very good at it. I also want to be able to be there for people, and handle responsibilities that need to be done and I find emotions just get in the way. I also think its a bit of a weakness to show them, so burying them helps with that too.

 

[Kosmik]

I feel sad at folks loss but guilt?

 

[ShaunSA]

Covid guilt?

You okes sound like you've never ever lost anyone. Ever.

 

[Brawler]

I haven't had it (at least that I know about) but don't think I would feel guilt for what you describe. If I had it and passed it on to a vulnerable person, then yes, definitely.

 

[Mercury12]

Is this what it means to be woke?

 

[Mephisto_Helix]

Overly silly to feel any guilt, jeez. A bit sad maybe but not guilt.

 

[backstreetboy]

No some day we're all going to die.

 

[PrettigeGert]

Nee fok, werklik?

 

[Meister-Man]

No guilt in this situation.
There are plenty younger folks who brought covid into their homes and infected older family members, here I've seen plenty guilt.

 

[Hamster]

What if a part of you feels guilty because all things equal you were supposed to have got it worse, and you probably shouldn't have survived? Why did they die instead of you?

Do you feel guilty when those healthier people die of heart attacks or car accidents?

 

[neoprema]

Do you feel guilty when those healthier people die of heart attacks or car accidents?

No, but thats a fact of life, accidents can happen. What we have is unprecedented.

 

[ShaunSA]

No, but thats a fact of life, accidents can happen. What we have is unprecedented.

Yeah. The world has never had a pandemic before

 

[neoprema]

Yeah. The world has never had a pandemic before

ssshhhhh.

We haven't in our time . Hell until 2019 most of us biggest issues with health was "how will my body look in December with all these Krispy Kremes".

 

[pinball wizard]

No, but thats a fact of life, accidents can happen. What we have is unprecedented.

No. Dying is a fact of life. Have you not yet come to terms with the fact that you too shall one day be gone?

 

[Polymathic]

Whenever there's a situation when some people and some people die there's always some people who get survivor's guilt.

There's nothing special or new about this

 

[t_girl]

I'd feel guilty if I passed it on to someone and then I survived and they didn't. But if they got it elsewhere I'd feel sad for them, but I'd probably mostly feel lucky.