Effects Of Collective Trauma

1383 Words6 Pages
Effects of Collective Trauma Military personnel who have experienced combat have lived in a traumatic environment. Even though individuals experience different levels of trauma while in combat, their involvement will have ongoing effects. The troops will not be the only ones to suffer. The civilians who were exposed to the surrounding influences will be affected. The people who get left behind are also at risk just like those who return at the end of the war. Every individual is at risk to the external conditions of combat. They are open to harmful influences from traumatic scenes. Even just having the knowledge of others having been hurt is enough to inflict major psychological harm. Conflict that leads to warfare will be harmful to future generations because the disastrous events which occur are impossible to avoid. It is certain that societies will be left with no other choice than to accept a collective trauma and acknowledge its influence over everyone in the community. Harm is certain to happen whether or not the society is aware of the negative changes that will come. Service members are confronted by traumatic experiences that result from the combat activity their job exposes them to. These men and women who serve as volunteers in our military will experience events and meet people that most civilians will never be faced with. The members are aware that they put themselves in situations that have a potential to leave emotional and mental marks on them forever. They freely make a choice to face daily challenges aware they are accepting personal responsibility for the lives of others as part of their job, and allowing other military members to accept responsibility for their own safety. The military firmly demands that a group will accept responsibility for an individual (Grossman, 2009). Every individual soldier is required to be responsible
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