In situations that are traumatic or exceptionally stressful, individuals may engage in, fail to prevent, or witness actions that conflict with their deeply held moral beliefs and values. When a person acts in a way that contradicts their beliefs, it is often termed an act of commission, while failing to act in accordance with those beliefs is referred to as an act of omission. Additionally, individuals may feel betrayed by leaders, those in authority, or peers, which can lead to negative consequences. Moral injury refers to the troubling psychological, behavioral, social, and sometimes spiritual effects that arise from exposure to such experiences. Common emotional responses associated with moral injury include guilt, shame, disgust, and anger. Guilt involves experiencing distress and remorse over the morally injurious event (e.g., "I did something wrong"). Shame occurs when the individual internalizes the event, leading to a belief that they are fundamentally flawed (e.g., "I am a bad person because of my actions"). Another significant reaction to moral injury is the inability to forgive oneself, which can result in self-sabotaging behaviors, such as feeling unworthy of success in personal or professional relationships. Moral injury often affects an individual's spirituality as well. For instance, a person experiencing moral injury may struggle to reconcile their beliefs and relationship with a Higher Power in light of the traumatic events they have endured, leading to doubts about their previously held spiritual convictions.
A clinical value-oriented concept in the treatment of soldiers with Posttraumatic stress Disorders will be pesented.
Justus Liebig University Gießen, Department of clinical Psychology and Psychotherapy, Germany
Clinic for Psychosomatic Medicine and Psychotherapy Grebenhain, Germany