The way to overcome war psychology

Research shows that there is a serious increase in violence and homicide behavior in societies involved in war. In other words, besides the direct suffering it causes, war is also a precursor to negative developments regarding the future of humanity.

In the US, during the Vietnam War, it was observed that murder and assault incidents doubled. Furthermore, in the US, between 1963 and 1973, the rate of arrests for murder increased by 101% for men and 59% for women over a 10-year period. The US, a state accustomed to imposing its international problems through violence and the use of force, gradually transformed into a violent society.

The explanation for this is as follows: The state's method of solving problems with other states is gradually adopted by its citizens, and individuals also try to solve problems among themselves in a similar way. It has been found that more than 50% of the American population has experienced at least one serious traumatic event in their lifetime; while the most common cause of PTSD in men is combat, severe injury, or witnessing severe injury or death, the most common cause in women is rape and sexual assault.

'LEADS TO LEARNED HELPLESSNESS'

The increase in interpersonal violent behavior during war does not happen only through learning. War legitimizes the use of violence to achieve goals and also spreads the idea that killing people is an insignificant matter.

Terror and the threat of death in a war environment lead to unpredictable and inevitable trauma. In this environment, the things a person can do to ensure their safety are very limited. Getting away is not enough to ensure safety. The lack of a place to escape eventually leads the person to "learned helplessness." Helplessness leads to grief and sorrow, and eventually to despair. The way to overcome this despair lies in solidarity and upholding human values.

HOW WILL WE CONTINUE TO LIVE?

Unfortunately, traumatic experiences prevent us from seeing the world as meaningful and acceptable. They destroy our perception of other people as good and helpful. They lead us to perceive the world as a dangerous place full of threats, insecure, unfair, where the strong crush the weak as they please, and people as harmful, self-serving, selfish, and cruel. All of this causes feelings of insignificance, worthlessness, and loneliness.

The fact that trauma puts a person into such an insecure state of mind also drives them to produce remedies to get rid of it. These remedies are not always functional. They manifest as denial, identification with the aggressor, turning to supernatural powers, and acting out.

EMPHASIS ON 'SELF-CARE'

Regaining damaged self-esteem and not losing hope for the future is very important. Personally making our voices heard, while not contributing to the spread of polarizing rhetoric and news, not neglecting our self-care (such as sleep and nutrition), strictly maintaining our daily routines, and producing more than ever is important. Only in this way can we overcome war psychology.

Since people's reactions to traumatic events can be very different (such as denial and violence), avoiding accusations, arguments, and debates that will lead nowhere, and focusing on how we can help our loved ones, our responsibilities, and those in need will be the healthiest forms of behavior.

News Source: 12punto