Julie Larson, LCSW on Guilt & Stress

The Breast of Everything

Survivor guilt … it’s time to talk about this reality

We don’t talk enough about it … the guilt, the stress, the feelings that it’s just not fair …

Cancer flips you on head. The question of “why me?” can haunt any cancer patient. Everyone knows someone who had cancer and died, and those stories surface and circle around in your head. Everyone knows someone who had cancer and survived with fewer treatments and a faster recovery, and you wonder why this isn’t you. Everyone also knows somebody who fell into a dark hole of depression after a cancer diagnosis, and you wonder when this is going to happen to you. Cancer patients often find themselves comparing their medical condition and feelings to everyone else’s and trying to figure out what to do, what to think and how to act. The result can be overwhelming stress and guilt.

During The Breast of Everything podcast, Julie Larson, LCSW, a mental health therapist who specializes in oncology supportive care, talks with Comprehensive Breast Care Surgeon Linsey Gold, DO, FACOS, FACS, about dealing effectively with the stress and guilt that often accompany a cancer diagnosis.