Moral Injury
To be honest, it was really hard to brainstorm a topic to write about this month. We’re deep in winter and swimming through fascism. What if I told you: NO ONE IS DOING WELL.
I hope you believe me, and cut yourself some slack. Here is some information about moral injury, which will hopefully give a name to some of the feelings you may have been confronted with:
Moral injury is defined as ongoing trauma where people in power perpetrate and/or fail to prevent events that betray our deep values, morals, and expectations. The concept originated during the Vietnam War, and has been used to describe the post traumatic stress that many veterans experienced; however, it has been more broadly applied to witnessing/experiencing political violence and/or oppression.
We have been through collective moral injury many times before. Angela Davis described it best when she said, “We live in a society of an imposed forgetfulness, a society that depends on public amnesia.” You are hurting because you remember. Those who are going about life without paying mind to the current state of our world are engaging in voluntary amnesia-- your feelings are proportional to the crimes.
The class war is raging, and while our actions may align with our morals, our politicians actions certainly do not. The people we elected do not care one bit about their constituents, let alone doing what is humane and right. In the words of James Baldwin,“I can’t believe what you say, because I see what you do.” This is moral injury. This is the cognitive dissonance that results in being both overstimulated but craving input. We are experiencing moral injury, but how do we cope?
We must look at ourselves and reflect on our values, making sure that our daily choices reflect how we identify. As therapists, we understand that we cannot fix this problem for you during session, but we are here to hold space and listen. Therapy exists because of capitalism and it cannot solve the problem for you, but therapists can hold space for you while you grieve the world. If you can’t access therapy, rely on your community and take turns holding space for one another.
We must go back to basics: sleep, hygiene, connection, sunshine, and food. We take the time to speak with others and talk about how we are truly feeling. Be colorful, expressive, loud, queer, angry, and relentless. We increase our literacy and critical thinking. We patronize the arts and encourage others to be the most authentic version of themselves. Eat good food and laugh with friends; watch your favorite movies, eat your favorite candies, and lay in bed if you need to. Listen to music and drink too much caffeine if it gives you the will to live.
We must connect and encourage each other emotionally, physically, financially, and spiritually. If you notice yourself being hard on yourself for how your brain is choosing to survive, please access some self-compassion. Ask yourself, “What would I say to a friend that felt this way?” Ask yourself what you need, and follow through. Try to find joy in smaller, offline moments and tap into your senses and pleasure. Revisit topics of comfort and rely on your loved ones. The revolution is ongoing, and we all need to focus on stamina and longevity. We must acknowledge the moral injury, be upset, and find ways to rebel joyfully. There’s no right way to live, especially right now, and your best is different every day.