During the 1980s, when many gay men contracted HIV and died from AIDS, it was not uncommon for gay men who had been spared the disease to feel guilty about it (thinking that they, too, should have gotten sick if so many of their friends had gotten sick). That is, many gay men experienced ____.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Survivor guilt is a psychological condition that occurs when someone has survived a traumatic event but feels guilty or responsible for not experiencing the negative outcomes that others did. In this case, gay men who were spared from contracting HIV and dying from AIDS may have experienced survivor guilt due to the high mortality rate among their friends and community.

During the 1980s, When Many Gay Men Contracted HIV and Died