Specific · Guilt

Why-Not-Me

Part of the Grief & Loss Wheel

What is Why-Not-Me?

Feeling it should have been you, not them. A painful and common response to outliving someone.

When you might feel why-not-me

Why-Not-Me is a specific form of survivor-guilt, which itself is a type of guilt. You might experience this feeling in situations where guilt is present, particularly when the circumstances align with the nuances that define why-not-me.

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Related Emotions

Interactive wheel

Explore Why-Not-Me on the Interactive Wheel

Use our free interactive feeling wheel to explore why-not-me and discover related emotions.

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