Moral Injury: What Is It and How Can Professionals Assist?
- Imagine you’re a Service member. Your commanding officer has reason to believe that certain civilians are making bombs at home and will use them against the public. Your unit is tasked with breaking in and finding the bombs. Entering the home is necessary to the mission – but you’ve been told your entire life that breaking into a person’s home is wrong and a violation of their privacy (not to mention against the law). However, you have a mission to fulfill. So, you break in, regardless of your inhibitions. The above scenario is one example of an event that could lead to moral injury. Moral injury is any act, whether perpetrated or witnessed, that may conflict with personal morals or beliefs (Douglas, 2022). While we often think of this conflict in the context of war, other examples of potential moral injury include abuse, rape, and violence (Moral Injury Project, n.d.). And although moral injury may have lasting effects on someone’s life (Litz et al., 2009), it’s still a concept of which many people aren’t fully aware. This article will explain moral injury and discuss some ways that mental health professionals can help Service members and Veterans work through issues related to it.
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