Chapter 1: Exploring feelings while living with a serious diagnosis

Guilt

I hope I can do better at staying in the present. This is not going to come around again.

Knowing that time is limited often makes people think about the past. Sometimes this brings up regrets for past actions or things not done or said.

Sorting out what to express and what to let go is emotional work. Sometimes this means exploring thoughts and feelings in a deeper way. Below are three common examples of different ways the person who is ill or their family members may experience guilt. Click on each to read more.

For family members, guilt can be related to feeling somehow responsible for the situation. Guilt might be expressed these ways: “I should have taken him to the doctor sooner,” or “I feel like I’ve made her life more stressful.” Although these thoughts are very real to the person expressing them, they are not factors causing illness.