It’s the question that has intrigued psychologists since the 1940s: Are all humans capable of killing someone?
Perhaps the most famous exploration of this debate came from the infamous post-Holocaust obedience experiments conducted by American researcher Stanley Milgram.
The Jewish researcher wanted to know if a unique quality among the German population could explain why so many people obeyed Hitler’s violent demands.
The results surprised him: under the right circumstances, each of us is capable of blindly following orders, no matter how aggressive they may be.
This is a phenomenon that psychologist Dr. David Shanley knows very well.
The Denver-based therapist has spent most of his career supporting the mental health of civilians and veterans who have been trained to kill on the battlefield.
Rates of mental illness among active-duty service members have fluctuated over time, but peaked in 2012, a year after the war in Iraq ended.
Basic training for all branches of the military includes basic lessons in discipline and leadership, as well as physically grueling drills and marksmanship.
“Officers impose the idea of kill or be killed on their recruits as part of basic training,” he told DailyMail.com.
‘And then they end up in these chaotic war zones where they and the other guy are.
‘There is a natural protective instinct that takes over. They are not debating the morality of battlefield issues.
Dr. Ryan Fuller, a Psychologist based in New Yorkagrees that action in war zones shows that, “if they find themselves in a certain situation, they can be deadly.”
“I think without the training that the military provides, a person wouldn’t be able to pull a trigger as easily.”
Humans were evolutionarily prepared to do whatever maximized their chances of survival. When faced with a threat, the human body enters the fight or flight response.
Signals are sent throughout the body to optimize it for survival; either running as fast as possible in the opposite direction or fighting the threat head on.
However, studies show that the flight reaction tends to be more common in such situations, and most people choose to avoid the risk that comes with fighting back.
But experts told DailyMail.com that military training – including drills and disciplinary measures – is intended to dampen soldiers’ immediate impulse to drop their weapons and run in the opposite direction of the enemy.
These training methods prioritize quick, instinctive reactions over deliberate, conscious decision making.
Basic training procedures vary by military branch. Army protocol consists of physical conditioning programs, obstacle courses, combat skills, weaponry and marksmanship.
Dr. Ryan Fuller, a New York-based psychologist, told DailyMail.com that almost anyone, with proper training, such as that received by members of the military, could be capable of killing another.
Dr. William Smith, a licentiate psychotherapist in Georgia who works with veterans, told DailyMail.com: ‘Some people say they did very well in basic training, they were recognized for their leadership skills, they got a platoon leader, something like that.
And then other people will say it was absolutely miserable. Some feel that the way some of the training is carried out amounts to emotional abuse.’
While much attention is paid to the catastrophic impact war zones have on soldiers’ mental health, experts say many of those who kill in battle are, in fact, unaffected by their actions.
A veterinarian from Vietnam said psychologists that killing others was “no big deal.”
“I didn’t feel anything negative at all,” he said. “It was exciting and I couldn’t wait to get out there and do it again.”
‘I never really thought of it as… you know, they trained us really well and you go out and train. . . . I do not feel bad.’
Another former soldier said it was “not that difficult” to kill someone. ‘He “It didn’t bother me when I was in that situation,” he said.
‘For us it’s kill or be killed: your friends were being killed. If you’re going to kill me, I’m going to kill you. So for me it was easy. Actually, I don’t feel guilty about it.
Experts say some of this relaxed attitude could be explained in part by the type of person who is attracted to a career on the battlefield.
Specifically, a person who has a tendency toward aggression or violence, and is fiercely patriotic.
Dr. Smith said: ‘I’ve talked to a lot of people who do things like special operations, infantry, artillery, and they probably have a profile that likes to take the initiative.
“Honestly, I think some people more or less enjoy it, probably those who join the military for that exact job.”
Selena Soni, a clinical social worker in Arizona, who sees combat veterans frequently, added: ‘My feeling is that soldiers who are entering basic training come with the idea that I can do anything they ask of me in the service of my country, my platoon.
‘I don’t know what kind of personality has that commitment to country and service. But he’s definitely there.’
A sense of camaraderie can also motivate people to commit acts that make them uncomfortable.
Jonathan Lubecky, an Iraq War veteran, has used psychedelics to overcome his PTSD
According to official US military guidelines: “The strongest motivation to endure combat, especially for American soldiers, is the bond formed between the members of a squad or platoon.”
However, for many veterans, guilt, shame, and spiritual discomfort after pulling the trigger lead to serious mental health and relationship problems.
Army and Marine Corps veteran Jonathan Lubecky has found relief from post-traumatic stress disorder in psychedelics, the newest frontier in the treatment of mental disorders and the effects of traumatic brain injury.
Lubecky was stationed in Iraq when, while going to the bathroom, an enemy mortar landed on him. He was left with post-traumatic stress disorder and a traumatic brain injury.
And Prince Harry revealed that he also struggled with post-traumatic stress disorder since childhood, when his mother died.
In 2020, about 5.2 million veterans were said to be suffering from behavioral health disorders, such as depression and post-traumatic stress disorder, or post-traumatic stress disorder. And post-traumatic stress disorder can affect up to 20 percent of Iraqi war veterans.
Prince Harry revealed that he has dealt with post-traumatic stress disorder since the death of his mother when he was a child. His wife Megan Markle, right, has helped him through it.
The number of active duty service members suffering from mental illness has fluctuated over time and may correlate with certain military operations.
For example, the prevalence of mental illness among service members rose steadily beginning in 2005, two years after troops invaded Iraq and one year after they participated in a six-week offensive in Fallujah, Iraq.
It was the bloodiest battle of the war, in which some 110 coalition members were killed and 600 wounded.
Those rates rose steadily until 2012, a year after all troops left Iraq and the war there ended.
A 2013 report by researchers at the University of California, San Francisco, who recruited 227 veterans of the Afghanistan and Iraq wars, found that those who died in battle were twice as likely to be among the most symptomatic PTSD patients. , compared to those who did. do not kill.
They said: “The combination of threats to life, loss of comrades and assassinations can understandably lead to greater difficulty in recovery after combat exposure.”
Evidence suggests that the act of killing in combat can cause significant psychological distress. And according to Dr. Smith, more often than not, the veterans he meets with “do so out of a sense of obligation” and not out of a feeling of zeal to kill the enemy.
‘I’ve spoken to people about this who have been somewhat indifferent. I don’t know if anyone has said they openly enjoy it, but some people will say they take pride in doing what they had to do.’
But feelings of guilt and shame are common among this group, according to psychologists who study veterans.
One of the veterans interviewed said: ‘I think you feel ashamed of what you did. You know you are qualified to do that and that stays with you. I guess sometimes I feel very sad.
‘I feel proud to be a soldier who tried to do something I thought was right for the country. But it’s hard to be a soldier. It takes away your moral fiber. It changes your life.’
Another veterinarian put it this way: “I didn’t know why I should feel so bad if I hadn’t done anything wrong.” I wasn’t a baby killer. I wasn’t… I did my job. I did what everyone else did. But always that nagging question: why does it hurt so much?’
Experts say those who seek their help have usually reached the point where they are finally ready to talk openly about their experience.
Mrs Soni said: “They really are a resilient group of people.”
‘I think we see a lot about higher rates of psychiatric disorders. And I know that’s all true, but I think sometimes we also forget to talk about all of their strengths.’