What goes through the minds of those who experience war? The war in Ukraine recently ended for a year and a half. The conflict in Eastern Europe has killed more than 25,000 people and caused unprecedented devastation. Both on a financial level, with the destruction of cities like Kiev, and on a psychological level, due to the trauma resulting from violence, bombings, […]
What goes through the minds of those who experience war?
The war in Ukraine recently ended a year and a half ago. The conflict in Eastern Europe has killed more than 25,000 people and caused unprecedented devastation. Both on a financial level, with the destruction of cities like Kiev, and on a psychological level, due to the trauma resulting from the violence, bombings, deaths and the conflict itself.
In Ukraine there are reports of entire families murdered in front of their homes and also of soldiers – both Russian and Ukrainian – decomposed in various parts of the territory. But ultimately, what goes through the minds of those involved in a war?
War is a trivialization of evil
According to Maíra Pradelli, professor of Social Anthropology, the philosopher Hannah Arendt tried to explain this by studying the trial of a soldier who committed crimes during the Second World War.
“The philosopher Hannah Arendt wrote the book The banality of evil to understand Adolf Eichmann’s lack of remorse. A Nazi official responsible for the deportation and death of millions of Jews during the Holocaust. Eichmann presented himself to the authorities as a simple bureaucrat who simply followed orders. For Arendt Eichmann was not a monster. But a common man who has lost the ability to think for himself in a society driven by extremist and authoritarian ideals. This loss of the ability to think for oneself is what Hannah Arendt called the ‘banality of evil,'” says Maíra.
The anthropologist points out that, according to Hannah, ordinary people are responsible for evil, not monsters, since they simply follow orders. “Or who are so concerned about maintaining their place in society that they don’t want to question it status quo. Extremist ideologies such as German fascism have caused this behavior. Teaching people to blindly obey authorities and see other ethnic and national groups as enemies.”
The evil done by ordinary people
Maíra says that, in short, what the philosopher Hannah Arendt demonstrated is that people who do evil are usually normal people.
“The idea that evil can be banal is disturbing. But it’s important to remember that this is not a simple justification for someone else’s behavior. What the author intends is to make clear that this is evil committed by ordinary people However, understanding this expression can help us reflect on the dangers of hatred, prejudice and blind obedience, while creating democratic societies with freedom of expression where people feel safe to question the status quo and think with your own head”, he underlines.
Evil done by noble people
This triviality mentioned by the researcher affects all types of human beings. An example was the case of Prince Harry, one of the heirs to the British crown. Who recently revealed that he killed 25 people during his participation in the war in Afghanistan. The statement sparked protests and indignation from international institutions.
“I think this case is about the position that Prince Harry found himself in politically and socially within the British monarchy. With a sense of duty and of winning a war, without questioning the details of British imperialism and the violence and the inequality that inevitably occurs in relation to other, generally non-Western, places.
Effects of war on mental health
The traumas left by war conflicts are countless. Migration wave, poverty, unemployment, collective and individual pain, depression and many others. Among soldiers’ accounts, it is common for experts to diagnose many with post-traumatic stress disorder.
Furthermore, according to psychologist Helena Gullo, “post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) can occur after a person has experienced or witnessed a traumatic event. Such as a violent situation, a serious accident, physical or sexual abuse, a natural disaster or war. PTSD is characterized by a range of physical, psychological, and emotional symptoms that may persist for a prolonged period after the traumatic event.” highlights.
Symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder
Helena selected some symptoms for Sharp Mind:
- Memories, nightmares, flashbacks;
- Disturbing thoughts or feelings related to the event;
- Difficulty concentrating, sleep problems;
- Irritability, hypervigilance;
- Exaggerated surprise responses
- Physical symptoms, such as headaches or muscle aches.
These symptoms can be severe enough to interfere with a person’s daily activities, work, relationships, and quality of life.
War in cinema
An example can be seen at the cinema in the film Desire and repairadaptation of the novel Repair (Companhia das Letras) by the English writer Ian McEwan. In the play, the character Robbie Turner (James McAvoy) suffers from anxiety attacks and violence after fighting for England during World War II.
Again according to Helena, “treatment of PTSD generally involves psychotherapy. In some cases, medications such as antidepressants or anxiolytics may be prescribed to relieve symptoms.”
The DSM-IV (Diagnostic Manual of Mental Disorders) and the ICD-10 (International Classification of Diseases) establish criteria for the diagnosis of post-traumatic stress disorder. “The first requirement is to identify the traumatic event (stressor) which represented a threat to the life of the person suffering from the disorder or of a loved one and to which they felt powerless to react. The others take into account the characteristic symptoms of the post-traumatic stress disorder.”, adds Gullo.
Source: Terra
Ben Stock is a lifestyle journalist and author at Gossipify. He writes about topics such as health, wellness, travel, food and home decor. He provides practical advice and inspiration to improve well-being, keeps readers up to date with latest lifestyle news and trends, known for his engaging writing style, in-depth analysis and unique perspectives.