Demoralization

[Akita Suggagaki]

https://www.booksfree.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/General-Psychotherapy-The-Restoration-Of-Morale-pdf-free-download.pdf

Demoralization is a state of mind that ensues when a person feels unable to cope with a problem that he and those about him expect him to be able to handle. Demoralization can vary widely in duration and severity, but the full-blown form includes the following manifestations, not all of which need be present in any one person. The person suffers a loss of confidence in himself and in his ability to master not only external circumstances but his own feelings and thoughts. The resulting sense of failure typically engenders feelings of guilt and shame. The demoralized person frequently feels alienated or isolated. He may also feel resentful, because others whom he expects to help him seem unable or unwilling to do so; their behavior, in turn, may reflect their own irritation with him, creating a vicious circle. With the weakening of the person’s ties often goes a loss of faith in the group’s values and beliefs, which had helped to give him a sense of security and significance. The psychological life-space of the demoralized person is constricted in space and time. He becomes self-absorbed, loses sight of his long-term goals, and is preoccupied with avoiding further failure. His dominant moods are usually (1) anxiety, ranging from mild apprehension to panic, and (2) depression, ranging in severity from being mildly dispirited to feeling utterly hopeless.