Warfare and its Psychological Impact

Warfare and its Psychological Impact

Warfare causes many people to suffer from psychological problems. Many times, these problems come in the form of mental illness. According to the DSM-VI, which is the fourth edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, a mental disorder is "a clinically significant behavioral or psychological syndrome or pattern that's associated with current distress (a painful symptom) or disability (impairment in one or more important areas of functioning) or with a significantly greater risk of suffering, death, pain, disability, or an important loss of freedom. This syndrome or pattern mustn't be merely an expected, culturally sanctioned response such as grief over the death of a loved one. Whatever the cause, it must be considered a sign of a behavioral, psychological, or biological dysfunction."("Diseases")

Mental disorders are diseases. However, according to the Director of the National Institute of Mental Health, mental disorders are treatable diseases. Mental illnesses have been proven to be illnesses of the brain. These illnesses can often be treated with medication and psychological therapy. Depression is the leading cause of disability in the world. Some believe that depression is a weakness in character, but it is a real disease with real symptoms. More people suffer from depression than heart disease. Mental illness is a serious disease.

Mental disorders are serious problems with serious effects. In war there are three main groups affected by war: soldiers, non-combatants, and society. There are negative psychological consequences caused by war, both culturally and individually, these make war more costly than we realized previously. If we take these negati...

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...nd there would be a lot less psychologically injured people in the US and Vietnam today. Our newfound resistance to war will prove to provide a psychologically healthy environment for not only us, but our children as well, for they are our treasure and our future. Our children are more important than any amount of oil or gold. It is our duty to create a positive environment for children in this world. Their well-being should be our first concern. They are not responsible for the conflict, but they suffer severely. They are particularly vulnerable. (Otunnu par 2) According to The Encyclopedia of Violence, Peace and Conflict "there is no escaping the conclusion that combat, and the killing that lies at the heart of combat, is an extraordinarily traumatic and psychologically costly endeavor that profoundly impacts all who participate in it." (Grossman and Siddle par.2)