A moral injury can result in symptoms across multiple domains of our mental well-being. We may experience:
Emotional changes
- Guilt and/or shame
- Anger
- Hopelessness
- Anxiety
Cognitive changes
- A loss of trust in the self or others
- Existential crises (e.g., questioning the meaning of life or your purpose)
- Spiritual questioning or doubts (e.g., questioning your belief in a higher power)
- A change in the way you evaluate the integrity of yourself or others
- Feeling like the world is an unsafe place or there is no justice
Behavioural changes
- Social withdrawal, isolation, or disengagement
- Self-harm
Prompt: Think about a difficult decision you’ve had to make, including the internal struggle, your own feelings of responsibility, and how it impacted the way you feel about yourself and others.