Andrew, a New York City firefighter, and his entire unit responded to the terrorist attacks at the World Trade Center. Working as a team, he and his best friend, Carlo, entered the area together. Carlo was killed when the building collapsed. Andrew was injured, but survived. Since that time, Andrew has had frequent nightmares and anxiety attacks. He says to the mental health worker, 'I don’t know why Carlo had to die and I didn’t!' This statement by Andrew suggests that he is experiencing:
Correct Answer: C
Rationale: The correct answer is C: Survivor's guilt. Andrew's statement indicates feelings of guilt and confusion about why he survived while Carlo did not. Survivor's guilt is a common psychological response in individuals who have lived through a traumatic event where others did not. Andrew's frequent nightmares and anxiety attacks are also typical symptoms of survivor's guilt.
A: Spiritual distress is not the correct answer in this scenario as Andrew's statement does not specifically reference any spiritual or religious beliefs or conflicts.
B: Night terrors may be a symptom of Andrew's PTSD, but his statement about not understanding why he survived while Carlo did not suggests a deeper emotional struggle beyond just experiencing night terrors.
D: Suicidal ideation is not the correct answer as Andrew's statement does not indicate any desire or intention to harm himself. Rather, he is expressing confusion and guilt about surviving the traumatic event.