“Never Returned from the War”. Phenomenon of Chronicization of the Combat Ego in Veterans of Combat Operations

Context and relevance. The large number of military conflicts in the modern world makes it relevant to study the psychological consequences of participation in hostilities in a variety of forms. Objective: identification and classification of the main forms of chronicization of the combat ego in combat veterans; development of general recommendations for psychological work with veterans experiencing a complex of chronicization of the combat ego; drawing the attention of researchers to the problem under consideration. Hypothesis. Psychological consequences of participation in combat actions are not only psychotraumatization, post-traumatic stress disorder and other stress-related disorders, but also maturation, psychological hardening, and acquisition of life wisdom by combatants. Methods and materials: study of scientific literature and publications of combatants. Results. The consequences of combat experience are presented in the form of psychological complexes — stable patterns of perception of oneself and the world, thoughts, motives, moods, and behavior united around a core need. The “never returned from the war” complex is revealed, which arises as a consequence of chronization of the combat ego in a participant in military events. The following forms of chronicization of the combat ego are distinguished: professional complex, adrenal complex, zombie complex, Rambo complex, and “soldier of fortune” complex. The structure of the chronicization complex of the combat ego is described. Conclusions. General recommendations for psychological assistance to veterans who “did not return from the war” are substantiated. It is necessary to support, and sometimes even initiate a veteran's appeal for specialized psychological assistance, to explain that veteran assistance centers are not “for the weak”, but for those who want to live for real, and not in a constant defense mode.

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