Comments on: Is War A Psychosis? http://brainblogger.com/2007/04/27/is-war-a-psychosis/ Topics from multidimensional biopsychosocial perspectives. Fri, 29 Aug 2008 01:35:47 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.6.1 By: henry http://brainblogger.com/2007/04/27/is-war-a-psychosis/#comment-283941 henry Wed, 13 Aug 2008 11:45:30 +0000 http://brainblogger.com/2007/04/27/is-war-a-psychosis/#comment-283941 Extremist behavior is not limited just to charismatic leaders. Kamikaze pilots in World War II and today's suicide bombers were recruited from the rank and file. Extremist behavior is not limited just to charismatic leaders. Kamikaze pilots in World War II and today’s suicide bombers were recruited from the rank and file.

]]> By: sachen http://brainblogger.com/2007/04/27/is-war-a-psychosis/#comment-239287 sachen Thu, 03 Jul 2008 08:16:14 +0000 http://brainblogger.com/2007/04/27/is-war-a-psychosis/#comment-239287 thank you thank you

]]> By: Life Insurance Lowdown » Blog Archive » Carnival of Life, Happiness & Meaning #4 http://brainblogger.com/2007/04/27/is-war-a-psychosis/#comment-52859 Life Insurance Lowdown » Blog Archive » Carnival of Life, Happiness & Meaning #4 Wed, 06 Jun 2007 21:48:35 +0000 http://brainblogger.com/2007/04/27/is-war-a-psychosis/#comment-52859 [...] Lakhan presents Is war a psychosis? posted at GNIF Brain Blogger. “Why war? Of all the personality theorists, Freud came closest [...] [...] Lakhan presents Is war a psychosis? posted at GNIF Brain Blogger. “Why war? Of all the personality theorists, Freud came closest [...]

]]> By: Hakim Abdullah http://brainblogger.com/2007/04/27/is-war-a-psychosis/#comment-52619 Hakim Abdullah Wed, 23 May 2007 17:26:34 +0000 http://brainblogger.com/2007/04/27/is-war-a-psychosis/#comment-52619 <strong>Secular Nationalism & Jahiliyyah...</strong> As I have previously discussed on Wa Salaam, I think many of the problems of the Middle East (M.E.) stem from socio-political events occurring at the end of the 19th century and the beginning of the 20th. However, reaching this far back is too difficul... Secular Nationalism & Jahiliyyah…

As I have previously discussed on Wa Salaam, I think many of the problems of the Middle East (M.E.) stem from socio-political events occurring at the end of the 19th century and the beginning of the 20th. However, reaching this far back is too difficul…

]]> By: Military History Carnival #2 « Victoria’s cross? http://brainblogger.com/2007/04/27/is-war-a-psychosis/#comment-52419 Military History Carnival #2 « Victoria’s cross? Sun, 13 May 2007 06:56:13 +0000 http://brainblogger.com/2007/04/27/is-war-a-psychosis/#comment-52419 [...] many years’ long mystery that was recently solved. My packed schedule left me time to visit Brain Blogger to find out whether war is a psychosis and learn about the meaning of Jamestown from the [...] [...] many years’ long mystery that was recently solved. My packed schedule left me time to visit Brain Blogger to find out whether war is a psychosis and learn about the meaning of Jamestown from the [...]

]]> By: Frank MacHovec http://brainblogger.com/2007/04/27/is-war-a-psychosis/#comment-52409 Frank MacHovec Fri, 11 May 2007 14:00:25 +0000 http://brainblogger.com/2007/04/27/is-war-a-psychosis/#comment-52409 On hindsight I should have included a proviso about how to stay sane in an insane satiation. The insane situation is when someone is determined to kill you: the combat situation. To "kill or be killed" is not conducive to mental health and has highly destructive potential. The media has never made clear what you describe: conscious control over extreme behavior such as anyone who "goes off half cocked" out of control. A way to protect "sanity" is by using maximum force, the so-called "blitz" tactic of finely focused attack, intense and time limited, then regrouping not only to "take a break" but also to return to “normal reality contact." The "psychotic" element in military service is when faced with continuing attack by an enemy who behaves irrationally such as Jihadists who kill indiscriminately – a psychotic world. Soldiers in Iraq, faced with an enemy who blends in with civilians, wear no uniforms, and strike from behind is "a crazy world." Many vets have difficulty "making sense" out of what to them was so far removed from "normal" behavior. They had to develop and use "antisocial" behavior to cope and stay "normal" in abnormal situations. Many never returned to "normal" civilian life, some homesteading in Alaska, others taking to drink or drugs. Many never went to the VA for treatment, distrusting the government that to them sent them into an insane situation. Some combat situations can put you in a position that defies reason, in a "world gone crazy" where you are under severe stress, with lack of sleep, and rising uncertainty except that “somebody’s out to get you." That potentiates paranoia, normal because someone is out to get you but abnormal because it pushes you into paranoid thinking. A symptom of its lingering effect is vets who have to "check the perimeter" at home years after military service. These potentials make "war" abnormal and to remain "normal" sometimes requires behavior in "abnormal" ways. War is also attractive to psychopaths, well described in John Hersey’s book The War Lover about a World War 2 pilot, later made into a movie with Steve McQueen as the psychopath pilot. On hindsight I should have included a proviso about how to stay sane in an insane satiation. The insane situation is when someone is determined to kill you: the combat situation. To “kill or be killed” is not conducive to mental health and has highly destructive potential. The media has never made clear what you describe: conscious control over extreme behavior such as anyone who “goes off half cocked” out of control.

A way to protect “sanity” is by using maximum force, the so-called “blitz” tactic of finely focused attack, intense and time limited, then regrouping not only to “take a break” but also to return to “normal reality contact.”

The “psychotic” element in military service is when faced with continuing attack by an enemy who behaves irrationally such as Jihadists who kill indiscriminately – a psychotic world. Soldiers in Iraq, faced with an enemy who blends in with civilians, wear no uniforms, and strike from behind is “a crazy world.” Many vets have difficulty “making sense” out of what to them was so far removed from “normal” behavior. They had to develop and use “antisocial” behavior to cope and stay “normal” in abnormal situations. Many never returned to “normal” civilian life, some homesteading in Alaska, others taking to drink or drugs. Many never went to the VA for treatment, distrusting the government that to them sent them into an insane situation.

Some combat situations can put you in a position that defies reason, in a “world gone crazy” where you are under severe stress, with lack of sleep, and rising uncertainty except that “somebody’s out to get you.” That potentiates paranoia, normal because someone is out to get you but abnormal because it pushes you into paranoid thinking. A symptom of its lingering effect is vets who have to “check the perimeter” at home years after military service.

These potentials make “war” abnormal and to remain “normal” sometimes requires behavior in “abnormal” ways. War is also attractive to psychopaths, well described in John Hersey’s book The War Lover about a World War 2 pilot, later made into a movie with Steve McQueen as the psychopath pilot.

]]> By: ClioWeb » Archive » History Carnival 52 http://brainblogger.com/2007/04/27/is-war-a-psychosis/#comment-52288 ClioWeb » Archive » History Carnival 52 Tue, 01 May 2007 22:15:13 +0000 http://brainblogger.com/2007/04/27/is-war-a-psychosis/#comment-52288 [...] Lakhan adds a historical and psychological perspective to war in general in “Is war a psychosis?”, while Elder of Ziyon discusses “April, 1948: How the Arabs left [...] [...] Lakhan adds a historical and psychological perspective to war in general in “Is war a psychosis?”, while Elder of Ziyon discusses “April, 1948: How the Arabs left [...]

]]> By: anja merret - chatting to my generation » Blog Carnival of Observations on Life April 29, 2007 http://brainblogger.com/2007/04/27/is-war-a-psychosis/#comment-52265 anja merret - chatting to my generation » Blog Carnival of Observations on Life April 29, 2007 Sun, 29 Apr 2007 16:17:44 +0000 http://brainblogger.com/2007/04/27/is-war-a-psychosis/#comment-52265 [...] Lakhan presents Is war a psychosis? posted at GNIF Brain [...] [...] Lakhan presents Is war a psychosis? posted at GNIF Brain [...]

]]> By: Light Remembered http://brainblogger.com/2007/04/27/is-war-a-psychosis/#comment-52252 Light Remembered Sun, 29 Apr 2007 08:24:20 +0000 http://brainblogger.com/2007/04/27/is-war-a-psychosis/#comment-52252 <strong>Carnival of the Godless #65: God Ain't In The Picture...</strong> The photo above is of the deepest lake in North America; the 7th deepest in the world. That fact might be impressive alone, but what is truly awe inspiring is that Crater Lake used to be the highest peak in... Carnival of the Godless #65: God Ain’t In The Picture…

The photo above is of the deepest lake in North America; the 7th deepest in the world. That fact might be impressive alone, but what is truly awe inspiring is that Crater Lake used to be the highest peak in…

]]> By: Norman Rosenblood http://brainblogger.com/2007/04/27/is-war-a-psychosis/#comment-52235 Norman Rosenblood Fri, 27 Apr 2007 20:30:06 +0000 http://brainblogger.com/2007/04/27/is-war-a-psychosis/#comment-52235 MacHovec's piece on war is refreshing and clear. It might be worth mentioning that Freud also saw one of the ways humans could put the brakes on their instincts was to establish a relationship with the other person and thereby identify with the other; hence, there is less desire to kill something that is valued. He has an interesting exchange of letters with Einstein on the topic. Edward Glover, also a psychoanalyst, has a good book on the topic:WHY WAR. MacHovec’s piece on war is refreshing and clear. It might be worth mentioning that Freud also saw one of the ways humans could put the brakes on their instincts was to establish a relationship with the other person and thereby identify with the other; hence, there is less desire to kill something that is valued. He has an interesting exchange of letters with Einstein on the topic.

Edward Glover, also a psychoanalyst, has a good book on the topic:WHY WAR.

]]> By: Anonymous http://brainblogger.com/2007/04/27/is-war-a-psychosis/#comment-52233 Anonymous Fri, 27 Apr 2007 19:37:17 +0000 http://brainblogger.com/2007/04/27/is-war-a-psychosis/#comment-52233 <strong>Is war a psychosis?...</strong> [ GNIF_Guest_Blogger.jpg] I have no future but I am a force ... in the U.S. South and the Indian wars in Americas West, la Custers infamous last stand... Is war a psychosis?…

[ GNIF_Guest_Blogger.jpg] I have no future but I am a force … in the U.S. South and the Indian wars in Americas West, la Custers infamous last stand…

]]> By: Experts voice their opinions as Guest Bloggers | GNIF Brain Blogger http://brainblogger.com/2007/04/27/is-war-a-psychosis/#comment-52231 Experts voice their opinions as Guest Bloggers | GNIF Brain Blogger Fri, 27 Apr 2007 15:32:39 +0000 http://brainblogger.com/2007/04/27/is-war-a-psychosis/#comment-52231 [...] exceptional articles related to mental health. Dr. Frank MacHovec is our first guest with Is war a psychosis? He is a retired clinical psychologist teaching part-time at Piedmont Virginia Community College. He [...] [...] exceptional articles related to mental health. Dr. Frank MacHovec is our first guest with Is war a psychosis? He is a retired clinical psychologist teaching part-time at Piedmont Virginia Community College. He [...]

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