There have always been identity crises, but under normal circumstances there is a time to get in and a time to get out of them. Gradually, at your own pace. But during the war, everything is different.
During unpredictable events, a person does not have time for this, says psychologist and consultant Yulia Yaroshevich.
Who am I? Have you asked yourself this question? It’s about personal identity. Who am I? What are my goals? Where are my values? What am I striving for? Where am I going?
A person forms answers to these questions throughout life. It’s about understanding yourself. Gradually, step by step, a person builds himself and his future. And then there was a war … Which completely destroys everything that you built, dreamed about and aspired to. Uncertainty runs ahead, and you are somewhere behind. Who am I? Asking a question to yourself, you only feel how tears come. Behind all this there is a ruined life and the collapse of personal identity.
All your supports disappear, your values are destroyed, you cannot build the future, you do not know how to be in the present. The loss of a familiar life , work, housing, habits, God forbid loved ones, everything and everyone that and who were valuable to you and gave meaning to your life.
Despair, pain, disbelief – all this completely destroys a person, forming a traumatic experience and loss of personal identity.
How does it manifest itself?
- a person is in a state of “freezing” for a long time, he cannot act, he only waits for …
- depression, depression, loss of will to live
- isolates itself from society (sometimes not wanting to leave the house, sometimes not directly – hiding behind clothes, constantly stooping, trying to avoid people)
- destroys himself morally, constantly exposing himself to stress, re-living, traumatic events
- starts drinking
- becomes aggressive towards weaker ones (children or, for example, animals)
- falls into hysterics
Speaking metaphorically, “I just want to close my eyes and lie there for so long until it’s all over.”
The loss of identity during life is natural, during the war even more so. But this is not a sentence. The main thing is to recognize in a timely manner, to start acting. But I note that psychological assistance in this matter will be effective only when a person can be physically safe, then morally. Then you can work on the return of identity, the search for yourself and the restoration of your own Self.
Read also:
