Maybe you’ve recently experienced a traumatic event, and you feel like you haven’t been quite the same since. You might be haunted by flashbacks of the event, and it can seem like you’re constantly waiting for another threat to crop up.
Alternatively, you may have been in a situation where you acted against your morals, or watched someone else do something you found unethical, yet you were not able to stop them. Ever since, you’ve been questioning yourself and your beliefs. You wish you could turn back the clock and choose a different course of action, and you don’t know how to move forward.
Whether you’re suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), or you’re living with a moral injury, you might feel like you’re stuck by what you experienced or witnessed. Let’s explore the differences and similarities between moral injury and PTSD.
Understanding Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)
PTSD is a mental health condition that arises after someone has lived through a traumatic event. Even if you were not physically hurt, you may have been deeply emotionally disturbed or had your safety threatened. This can leave you in a state of enduring fear that continues long after the acute danger has passed.
You may struggle with anxiety, depression, hypervigilance, or anger management. People with PTSD can be easily triggered by reminders of the traumatic event. As a result, they might avoid people, places, or situations that bring up memories of their trauma.
What Is Moral Injury?
Many people have dealt with moral injury, yet the concept isn’t as widely known as PTSD. When someone suffers from moral injury, they have acted in a way that contradicts their stated morals or values. They might witness an individual treat another person poorly and fail to intervene. Failing to act leads to moral injury. Alternatively, they may realize that they have done something hurtful or immoral according to their own values, leaving them questioning their values and their personal morality.
Moral injury can leave people feeling shaken, guilty, or ashamed. They might feel like they’re unworthy of compassion and isolate themselves from others.
Similarities Between Moral Injury and PTSD
Moral injury and PTSD can overlap in a few distinct ways. People struggling with moral injury and PTSD often feel guilty. They might blame themselves solely for what happened, even if they were not at fault or could not realistically intervene.
Additionally, they may have trouble maintaining relationships afterward because their sense of self-worth has suffered. People might try to cope with the aftermath of moral injury and PTSD with substance abuse or other harmful behaviors that only ease the pain temporarily.
How Moral Injury and PTSD Differ
Ultimately, PTSD is a condition rooted in fear, not moral transgressions. This is the primary difference between moral injury and PTSD. Someone who is dealing with moral injury may not have been in a situation that was genuinely dangerous or frightening. Furthermore, they may not be afraid for their safety like those with PTSD.
Is Moral Injury a Mental Health Condition?
PTSD is considered a mental health condition, and this disorder can have dramatic, negative impacts on an individual’s physical and emotional wellbeing. On the other hand, moral injury is not a mental health condition.
While someone coping with moral injury might feel anxious or depressed about their predicament, this is not always the case. They may not experience any significant mental health symptoms. Most people will deal with moral injury at some point in their lives as they learn and grow.
–
Are you struggling with moral injury or PTSD? A therapist can help you heal from either circumstance. Reach out to us to learn more about our trauma counseling services.