Psychology can never be a purely objective science. Too many subjects!
As the study basis that directs our healthy mind in life, psychology is worth an open look. In order to do that, we must first acknowledge its purpose.
Psychology’s Purpose
The Classic Scientific Approach: To understand the mind and the human condition by asking simple questions of complex experiences in life as explored primarily retrospectively, gaging them in subjective context of all proximities and influences in the broad areas of human experience, expressing its pinnacle understanding and value onto ourselves, as individuals and as a society, by the most efficient, accessible, and moral means possible.
Modern Approach: What kind of thinking makes us better, why, and how best to deliver it?
The origins of psychology can only be when we started to think. It doesn’t really matter when that was: 20,000, 3.5 million or 13.7 billion years ago. Irrelevant. What else is there to do but think. About, either what we did, are doing, or going to do? Ever? It’s the pivotal foundation of the entire human experience. Our mind, and it’s perspective of ourselves as “individuals” and as “society”. Now that we know what it is, and how long it’s been here. Let’s start to fix that, shall we?
Individual Minds
Words, form, symbols, shapes, colors, faces, fashion, lights, darkness, and more, and how they are oriented, referenced, internalized, processed and reacted are important in understanding the human proximal mind; with “words” being critically important. We can reference anything through words, and if we can’t, then we can’t identify with it. They represent our connection and perspective development of the world, its governments, laws, policies, goods, services, individuals, groups and society; and its associated or proximal things.
In fact, words are dangerous! They can hurt more than a steel blade slowly penetrating the skin. It can also take longer to heal, if ever. That makes words, or linguistics, study most important in advancing human psychology. They penetrate our duality of self.
Let’s analyze the world “individual”. It means, “single or separate, or of or for a particular person, or a single human being as distinct from a group, class or family”. That certainly implies “one” person as an individual. No debate. Now let’s linguistically analyze it further. Contained in the last four letters of the word “individual” is precisely the word “dual”. Meaning “two” in English. That can’t be right. We recognize as only one person and not some duality. However, the English language describes “individual” as both “one” and “two”. At the same time? How is that possible? It could also be described as “in-divi-dual”, translated into three parts: “in” “divided” “duality”. Again “one” divided into “two”.
Let’s explore further in Latin and find the root translations. The word “individual” in Latin is “singula”. We are back to “one” again. The world “singula” further dissects into “sin” and “gula”. Well “sin”, in English, means, “an immoral act against divine law”, however in Latin it translates to the word “if”, as in “what if…?” Sin in English means bad, but in Latin “if” is neither good nor bad. The word “if” is perfectly balanced between two possibilities; without a choice being made. Now the second part of the word “singula” is “gula”, which means “gluttony”. Combined? “if” – “gluttony”. Seems appropriate. So, the word “individual”, considering all it’s linguistic roots, represents both a “singularity” and a “duality”, and translates into Latin as “What if there is gluttony?”. That seems to sum up much of life. How about, what if there is no gluttony? Let’s see.
Just need some “time” to heal
The invention of the first mechanical clock represents a pivotal moment of influence on the evolution of the human mind. Before the social expansion of the precision clock, we found time by relative perspectives of the sun and stars and/or by displayed patterns of the human environment. The pace of a “civilized” human day changed to fit within the imaginary concept of “measured time”. Quite precisely an arbitrary construct of numbers that represent our passing through a rotation of the sun, or “days”. Why not 72 second in a minute? Why not 32 hours in a day? It is not fixed nor found in any natural order of the universe. We created it, we live by it, and measure by it; or try to. We peg every single aspect of our existence to time. Every rate is based on it. But it doesn’t really exist.
Even Einstein concluded that time was an “illusion”. It is not the fourth dimension. How can that be if we created it? Should we create more imaginary dimensions to further confuse or stress ourselves? Yet, our human connection to time can be tremendously stressful. “I’ll be late!”, “I only have so much time!”, “I’m waiting, are you coming!?”, “When will the payment arrive?”, “Did we make the mortgage payment on time?”. Lost of Stress! All derived from an imaginary construct of human invention. “TIME”!
Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)
Since time does not actually exist in the mind, the passing of it does not fix any psychological perspective. We can relive any life event at any time. It’s a skill, or by some consideration a curse, that tests our mental discipline. The ability to deal with it. Just telling a victim of PTSD that over time it will pass only makes the problem worse. They know it doesn’t go away. Any fixation to form of image of guilt in mind, in this case traumatic stress, will not relent unless there is a correction of perspective. Labelling the condition, or denying symptoms of the troubled, only serves to makes it worse. A further offence to the duality of mind that can have detrimental and long-lasting psychological effects. A danger to themselves and those near.
So, when a person experiences a traumatic event. It hurts. Sometimes seemingly forever. And it happens to everyone. Nobody is impervious to it. It is everywhere. It doesn’t have to be associated to the memory of some “killing field” in battle, or a traumatic accident. You can be simply reading a book and, as caught off-guard, the door slams from the wind. A traumatic event. A jump in your core! But depending on your experiences, the fright can be disabling. It naturally triggers an association to all other similar triggers, but usually the bigger ones, and then you feel as about to boil over and explode! All from a simple harmless wind that closes a door.
So as these trauma “events” connect to every other experience in our life, we get similar emotional reactions. Inside and expressed outward. A sore playground for the emotionally wounded connecting a long trail of “Guilt”. Maybe justified and maybe not. But it’s there. If we think it is, then it is. And there’s plenty of guilt carried by the large display of misunderstood combatants in both military and civilian fields of operations. And unless properly resolved, the continuous “replaying” of the guilt complex will destroy the mind and the body. One way or another.
Know yourself, and to its design, be true!
The plays of Shakespeare highlight an important feature to understanding the human mind and related trauma. Or as society likes to call it, “mental illness”. Shakespeare pronounced it as tragic flaws or “flaws of character”. Seemingly every character has one in potential. It’s just to find the trigger and they are off to some folly. Many have found a way of “dealing” with their so-called “flaw”. But if it takes over in influence (i.e. through fear) then tragedy is often created. Or trauma.
Most trauma is played out in a person’s mind; safely. Like in video games. A brief berserker in the safety of one’s private thoughts and dreamscapes. Perhaps dreamt with clenched fists and teeth. The dream scenes may be very violent. But it stays often just safely in the mind. When it doesn’t, however? Well, we know the bitter trail. And the consequences leave us feeling extra “gravity” of guilt and responsibility.
Yes, the guilt carries forward through generations until resolved. It is not merely bound to genetics, but more to purpose. Families and nations can carry guilt. So can we all. It is only through finding the root of guilt in either, can its effects ever possibly be resolved. A rather difficult twine to unravel. For anyone. But it starts with knowing and understanding yourself. As you step too far outside your guilt fence, the consequences can be tormenting for all involved.
Forgetting Past Trauma
The concept of memory in “short-to-long” term varieties are important to understand psychology in the human condition. It plays in change at the most volatile periods in a person’s life; adolescence. It is precisely during this time of “change” that our predominantly “short-term” memory “changes place” with our “long-term” memory. Now the long-term memory is predominant. Let’s look at an example. When a child is offended, it cries. But, easily distracted and at peace with the offence. An easy three seconds in the baby chair. When we get into adulthood, offences are often never forgotten. You may even start re-remembering those childhood traumas. Even those adolescent traumas. (more confusing). Wait!? Where did all this come from? A new predominant long-term emotional memory as “settled” through adolescence. If settled. Sound familiar? That’s our memory. Recognize the change and its effects in you.
We never truly forget any memory. But we can change the perspective of it in a healthy way. It is useful for a developing child to be distanced from trauma. Past or future. A nice Mercy in design. But when someone acts. We judge them into place. We also judge ourselves into place. A confining cell of the mind.
As adults, we are consumed with a history of unresolved offences. To us and served to others. We are even consumed with offences in the future. The ones we “think” may or will happen. It can often be at the root of our dreams. Our nightmares! We posses ourselves into a frenzy of thinking about traumas. A fixation on it. Like poking at a sore tooth, somehow enjoying or realizing you deserve the pain. But why? Why does anyone deserve to give themselves pain? Simple. Because your mind tells you that you are guilty! Every time you think about the trauma event. GUILTY!
The Escape to a Free Mind
To grow it takes courage. To get through boot camp it takes courage. To get out of bed some days, when the weight of your guilt trauma binds you to the floor, seems impossible. But it takes courage. In the routine of school, university, or military training, we found courage. Each time. To learn and become better, stronger, faster. So to must the mind be trained. With courage one can begin.
No matter the case, the cause of PTSD is the same. A self-inflicted, guilt-trauma imposed on the afflicted. No matter the justification of nation, policy, command or self. Whatever was done just doesn’t sit well in the mind. And it hurts the holder, and almost everyone around them. It wasn’t justified to resolve in self. It was not sanctioned by the moral compass that was instilled or designed in you. So how to fix it?
Carefully, understanding is the start. Knowing that the cause of mental pain is quite simply “Guilt” that continues to reside in the mind. And to remove it means to start toward a cure. A courageous journey to face yourself, your actions and words in life, and to apply that most critical band-aid that can ease the bleeding mental wound in need of immediate triage care. What is required is a process of self-forgiveness, and the forgiveness of others you may blame for cause. You have to ease the “Blame-Pain”. Both inwardly and outwardly. It can be a very difficult thing to do. But is is possible. Many have found the path to it. And it’s the only way to courageously find resolve of the mental anguish of PTSD, or other related mental traumas. To start a journey toward healing those afflictions imposed on our most honorable, serving societies: military, police, and other serving forces. Isn’t it time we served them?
Prescription: A plate of “Forgiveness” eaten every day at precisely the same time. And that time is “Now”!
Prognosis: A clear, free, peaceful, and productive mind. Body will follow.
IF YOU OR ANYONE YOU KNOW IS SUFFERING FROM PTSD. PLEASE SEEK HELP. TALK TO SOMEONE WHO UNDERSTANDS YOU. MAKE THE COURAGE TO FIND A HEALING PATH. BE SAFE. FORGIVE. AND ALWAYS STAY IN THE PRESENT. THE NOW.
