People are able to act humanely during the war by simply being able to understand that we are all created equally. More so, during the war, there is the thought that if you kill someone, they will forever be engraved in your mind, and they will be able to haunt you later on. Although Monroe states that all human beings have the capacity to be good or evil at any given time, they are still controlled by the subconscious, and that is what determines what role an individual plays during a war or a genocide.
Monroe also compares the ability to retain humanity during the war with the ability to be able to help a stranger. It emerges from the feeling that the world is generally a better place and that life in itself should not be taken away since it is a gift. Thus, individuals who tend to be humane during the war are those ones who take it as a responsibility to trust the other person not to do them any harm and, in the process, give them the privilege of life.
The strategies Monroe’s characters use to cope with trauma are being open and sharing with their friends. Another strategy is registering for therapy where they can share their experiences with other people who have gone through the same and be able to deal with their trauma.
The time I experienced a traumatic event was around five years ago when I was involved in a fatal road accident in which I was the driver. My vehicle, which was a Toyota Caldina, swayed off the road since it was raining, and an oncoming bus had all its full lights on.
This blurred my vision, and in the process, I was unable to maintain the vehicle on the road. The car skid on the road and overturned only for it to settle in a culvert. In the car was my uncle, aunt, and baby Stephan, who is my cousin. Although they sustained minor injuries, the car was badly damaged, and I was left traumatized more so since I had not finished paying for the car.
It was a tough experience to the stomach, but I had a supportive family. I signed up for a therapy session where I was able to share my experiences with other people like me who had undergone traumatic experiences. I was able to accept that I should have been more careful, and thus all the anger I felt towards the bus driver vanished.
In relation to the texts provided, dealing with trauma can be difficult and gruel some, especially if an individual keeps on blaming someone else for what may have taken place. Thus, the strategies I used worked since I was able to accept my role in what happened, and in the process, the stress became minimal. The text literature concurs with the strategies I applied since it recommends the use of social and emotional support as well as being able to cherish the memories of the event through active processing. This is one of the most successful methods as it enables soldiers coming from war to be able to deal with trauma.
The solutions to dealing with trauma provided by psychologists are in sync with the ones provided in the text. Psychologists suggest that when one is faced with the trauma they should try to avoid stimulants such as alcohol or coffee in an effort to forget the memories they have, but instead, they should embrace their memories and share with others. Furthermore, they also advise such people to take part in group activities such as exercises and jogging so as to reduce periods of loneliness. Prayer, meditation, a balanced diet, and enough sleep are also other useful remedies outlined by psychologists.