Psychological Impacts of Terrorism

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Topic: Psychological Impacts Of Terrorism On General Public Of Pakistan Introduction: This paper argues that too much exposure to terrorism weather directly or indirectly has left many negative psychological impacts on people of Pakistan. Many definitions of terrorism are offered uptil now. Two of them are follow: “The illegal use or threatened use of force or violence; an intent to coerce societies and governments by inducing fear in populations; typically with ideaological or political motives and justifications; an “extrasocial” element, either outside society in case of domestic terrorism or “foreign” in case of international terrorism” (National Research Council, N. J. Smelser and F. Mitchell, Washington, D.C: National Academies Press, 2002) “The purpose of terrorism is not the single act of wanton destruction, it is the reaction it seeks to provoke: economic collapse, the backlash, the hatred, the division, the elimination of tolerance, until societies cease to reconcile their differences and become defined to them” (Tony Blair, speech to joint session, US congress, 17 July 2003; http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/politics/3076253.stm) Above mentioned definitions have in common that despite of destruction or physical damage, terrorism targets targets the psyche or mental health of people and leaves many negative effects on them. The World Health Organization defines mental health as “a state of well being in which the individual realizes his or her own abilities, can cope with normal stress of life, can work productively and fruitfully, and is able to make a contribution to his or her community” (World Health Organization, 2005, Promoting Mental Health, J.K. Trivedi. Indian Journal of Psychiatry,2004,46 (1) 7-14). Along with the infrastuctural damages and economic collapse, terrorism also bring about monsterous changes in psychology of public. To
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