Week 2 DB
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School
Liberty University *
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Course
525
Subject
Philosophy
Date
Jan 9, 2024
Type
docx
Pages
2
Uploaded by CoachScienceHedgehog2593
Most people when faced with a situation will base their response off of some kind of
moral compass.
We do this most of the time without even thinking about our decision because
that moral compass is integrated deep into our consciousness.
The question is what happens
when we are forced to go against that moral compass or when the decision is out of our control?
For the veteran this can be having to follow orders you disagree with or simply being an observer
who has no chance to act.
In many cases the result of the situation is a moral injury to the
individual.
Moral Injury Definition
According to the National Center for PTSD moral injury is defined as Moral injury is the
distressing psychological, behavioral, social, and sometimes spiritual aftermath of exposure to
events that go against their beliefs (Norman & Maguen).
While this definition is a good one, I
think the Disabled American Veteran or DAV have a much more straightforward and
understandable definition.
They define a moral injury as when one feels they have violated their
conscience or moral compass when they take part in, witness or fail to prevent an act that
disobeys their own moral values or personal principles (DAV).
Potential Moral Injury Symptoms
Moral injury can lead to several symptoms, including anxiety, isolation, anger,
depression, and bitterness (Dees, 2011).
For me these symptoms manifested themselves in my
inability to go out into a crowded area due to my anxiety of not controlling everything around
me.
I began to isolate myself from even my closet friends and family, often spending most of
that time drinking alone.
I was angry at what I perceived I had lost, and at what I was missing
out on.
While these symptoms are some of what I experienced they are common amongst those
with a moral injury, especially in the veteran community.
Benefits of Post-Traumatic Growth
Post-traumatic growth (PTG) is the difference between living in the pit of self-pity and
despair and climbing to the heights God has planned for you.
For me I began that journey after
reading “If there is a meaning in life at all, then there must be meaning in suffering.
Suffering is
an ineradicable part of life, even as fate and death.
Without suffering and death human life
cannot be complete.” (Frankl, 2006).
These couple sentences allowed me to become a more
resilient person by reframing the way I viewed trauma.
This to me became the cornerstone of
not only my PTG but the PTG of other veterans I know and guide on this journey.
To know that
there is hope in one’s future for a better quality of life is often the most valuable resiliency factor
they can possess, at least from my experience dealing with PTG.
References
DAV. (n.d.). Moral Injury. https://www.dav.org/get-help-now/veteran-topics-resources/moral-
injury/#:~:text=Moral%20injury%20is%20when%20one,in%20the%20context%20or
%20war%3F
Dees, R. F. (2011). Resilient Warriors. Creative Team Publishing.
Frankl, V. E. (2006). A Man's search for meaning. Beacon Press.
Norman, S. B., & Maguen, S. (n.d.). PTSD: National Center for PTSD.
https://www.ptsd.va.gov/professional/treat/cooccurring/moral_injury.asp
Wicks, R. J. (2010). Bounce Living the Resilient Life. Oxford University Press.
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