Each war teaches us something new about trauma. In World War I, hospitals overflowed with soldiers who screamed or froze or wept, described in medical texts as \u201cmoral invalids.\u201d By the end of World War II, a more sympathetic view had emerged, that even the hardiest soldier would suffer a psychological collapse after sufficient time in combat \u2014 somewhere, two experts from the surgeon general\u2019s office concluded, between 200 and 240 days on average.<\/p>\n
Russia\u2019s war in Ukraine stands out among modern wars for its extreme violence. Its front lines are close together and barraged with heavy artillery, and rotations from the front line are infrequent. Ukraine\u2019s forces are largely made up of men and women who, until a year ago, had no experience of combat.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe are looking at a war that is basically a repetition of the First World War,\u201d says Robert van Voren, who heads the Federation Global Initiative on Psychiatry, which provides mental-health support in Ukraine. \u201cPeople just cannot fight anymore for psychological reasons. People are at the front line too long, and at a certain point, they crack. That\u2019s the reality we have to deal with.\u201d<\/p>\n
Read it all<\/a>.<\/p>\n The war in Ukraine stands out for its extreme violence, and Ukrainian forces are largely made up of people who, until a year ago, had no experience of combat. Hospitals in Ukraine cannot manage the volume of psychiatric casualties coming in. https:\/\/t.co\/43mu2NwrnE<\/a><\/p>\n — New York Times World (@nytimesworld) March 15, 2023<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n \n