Am I to be Blamed for
My Cancer ?
There is a widely held assumption
that those with cancer are,
in some mysterious way,
to be blamed for their disease.
Even though the books and CDs that I read
did not say that I created my cancer,
the exclusive emphasis on self help and positive helping often implied it.
Was it because of too much stress in my life?
Did I worry too much?
Did I drink too much coffee?
Did I eat too much meat?
Was it because my profession stifled my creativity?
Almost every cancer patient feels some degree of guilt about their illness.
很多人莫名其妙的認為
癌症
是自找的。
我讀了也聽了很多關於癌症的書與CD
雖然沒有人直接說癌症是自己創造出來的
但是一味的強調正面思考與自我勵志
就是在暗示癌症是自找的
是不是因為生活壓力太大?
太焦慮?
喝太多咖啡?
吃太多肉?
是不是因為從事的專業壓抑了自己的創意?
幾乎每一位罹癌者對自己的病都有某種程度的罪惡感
in some mysterious way,
to be blamed for their disease.
Even though the books and CDs that I read
did not say that I created my cancer,
the exclusive emphasis on self help and positive helping often implied it.
Was it because of too much stress in my life?
Did I worry too much?
Did I drink too much coffee?
Did I eat too much meat?
Was it because my profession stifled my creativity?
Almost every cancer patient feels some degree of guilt about their illness.
很多人莫名其妙的認為
癌症
是自找的。
我讀了也聽了很多關於癌症的書與CD
雖然沒有人直接說癌症是自己創造出來的
但是一味的強調正面思考與自我勵志
就是在暗示癌症是自找的
是不是因為生活壓力太大?
太焦慮?
喝太多咖啡?
吃太多肉?
是不是因為從事的專業壓抑了自己的創意?
幾乎每一位罹癌者對自己的病都有某種程度的罪惡感
In some people's
minds
the logic is black and white:
if positive thinking can cure your problems
negative thinking must have created them.
Rather than giving relief,
such illusions of control can also make us angry, guilty and anxious
if we cannot do it 'right'
Sometimes telling people with cancer that they need to think positive
can make them feel guilty if what they feel is different--
such as fear, anger, grief, or other 'negative emotions'
and this can make things worse for them
because these emotions have to be expressed too,
and repressing them is not going to help at all
對某些人來說
這個邏輯是非黑即白的
如果正面思考可以解決問題
那問題就是負面思考造成的
這種想法不會安撫人心
反而會讓無法正面思考的人更生氣 內疚 或焦慮
有的時候強迫罹癌者去正面思考
反而會讓他們壓抑負面情緒
譬如說 恐懼 憤怒 或哀傷
這會產生負面效果
因為這些情緒也需要出口
the logic is black and white:
if positive thinking can cure your problems
negative thinking must have created them.
Rather than giving relief,
such illusions of control can also make us angry, guilty and anxious
if we cannot do it 'right'
Sometimes telling people with cancer that they need to think positive
can make them feel guilty if what they feel is different--
such as fear, anger, grief, or other 'negative emotions'
and this can make things worse for them
because these emotions have to be expressed too,
and repressing them is not going to help at all
對某些人來說
這個邏輯是非黑即白的
如果正面思考可以解決問題
那問題就是負面思考造成的
這種想法不會安撫人心
反而會讓無法正面思考的人更生氣 內疚 或焦慮
有的時候強迫罹癌者去正面思考
反而會讓他們壓抑負面情緒
譬如說 恐懼 憤怒 或哀傷
這會產生負面效果
因為這些情緒也需要出口
When horrific events
occur
we tend to attribute them to a logical, cause-effect relationship
rather than acknowledge that some things are still beyond our human knowledge
and the control of our technology
As attempts to to explain uncontrollable events,
blame and self-blame are particularly damaging
to one's ability to cope with cancer
壞事發生時
我們情願相信事出必有因
也不願意承認有些事是人類智慧無法了解的
也是人類技術無法解決的
但是透過怪別人或怪自己
來解釋這些超過自己控制的事情
對於面對癌症來說
是阻力 不是助力
we tend to attribute them to a logical, cause-effect relationship
rather than acknowledge that some things are still beyond our human knowledge
and the control of our technology
As attempts to to explain uncontrollable events,
blame and self-blame are particularly damaging
to one's ability to cope with cancer
壞事發生時
我們情願相信事出必有因
也不願意承認有些事是人類智慧無法了解的
也是人類技術無法解決的
但是透過怪別人或怪自己
來解釋這些超過自己控制的事情
對於面對癌症來說
是阻力 不是助力
Nevertheless,
many cancer survivors prefer to think they have created their own cancer
rather than open themselves to the frightening possibility
that their cancer is a random, meaningless event.
As we struggle with cancer and mortality
we are coming to grips with the fact
that certain key assumptions we have made about the world are myths--
the myths of control, invulnerability and immortality.
儘管如此
還是有很多罹癌者情願相信自己的癌是自找的
也不願意面對嚇人的真像
那就是癌症是隨機的 沒有意義的
就像是抽到下下籤
人生在世都要面對疾病與死亡
也要接受事實
我們對世間事很多的設想都是迷思
其實我們能夠控制的事很有限
其實我們很脆弱
而且沒有人能夠不朽
many cancer survivors prefer to think they have created their own cancer
rather than open themselves to the frightening possibility
that their cancer is a random, meaningless event.
As we struggle with cancer and mortality
we are coming to grips with the fact
that certain key assumptions we have made about the world are myths--
the myths of control, invulnerability and immortality.
儘管如此
還是有很多罹癌者情願相信自己的癌是自找的
也不願意面對嚇人的真像
那就是癌症是隨機的 沒有意義的
就像是抽到下下籤
人生在世都要面對疾病與死亡
也要接受事實
我們對世間事很多的設想都是迷思
其實我們能夠控制的事很有限
其實我們很脆弱
而且沒有人能夠不朽
Nevertheless,
Surviving cancer is a challenge.
The least that we can do
is to stop blaming ourselves.
面對癌症需要勇氣與力氣
最起碼
不要再怪自己了。
Surviving cancer is a challenge.
The least that we can do
is to stop blaming ourselves.
面對癌症需要勇氣與力氣
最起碼
不要再怪自己了。
文字引用
goo.gl/cp2nrX
MUSIC Quizas Quizas
Quizas
Ibrahim Ferrer
Omara Portuondo
Omara Portuondo
