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Extreme Psychology and Personal Safety
2026. Vol. 3, no. 1, 210–224
doi:10.17759/epps.2026030111
ISSN: 3034-3666 (online)

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

 
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Abstract

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.

General Information

Keywords: war veterans, resocialization, zombie complex, Rambo complex, “soldier of fortune” complex, chronicization of the combat ego

Journal rubric: Psychology of Special Risk Professions

Article type: review article

DOI: https://doi.org/10.17759/epps.2026030111

Funding. The article was prepared as part of the research work of the state assignment of RANEPA. Research project No. 12.4-2025-1 “Readaptation and personal development of participants in a special military operation during integration into the system of state and municipal administration”.

Received 16.09.2025

Revised 15.02.2026

Accepted

Published

For citation: Karayani, A.G., Protsenko, S.A. (2026). “Never Returned from the War”. Phenomenon of Chronicization of the Combat Ego in Veterans of Combat Operations. Extreme Psychology and Personal Safety, 3(1), 210–224. (In Russ.). https://doi.org/10.17759/epps.2026030111

© Karayani A.G., Protsenko S.A., 2026

License: CC BY-NC 4.0

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Information About the Authors

Alexander G. Karayani, Doctor of Psychology, Honored Scientist of the Russian Federation, Professor, Chair of Military and Political Work, Military Order of Zhukov Academy of the National Guard of the Russian Federation, Advisor to the Rector, Moscow State University of Psychology and Education, St.Petersburg, Russian Federation, ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9586-9718, e-mail: karayani@mail.ru

Sergey A. Protsenko, Candidate of Science (Psychology), Director of the Center for Development and Analytics of the Institute of Higher School of Public Administration, Center for Development and Analytics of the Institute of Higher School of Public Administration of the Presidential Academy of the Russian Presidential Academy of National Economy and Public Administration, Moscow, Russian Federation, ORCID: https://orcid.org/0009-0002-7381-0541, e-mail: proccent@mail.ru

Contribution of the authors

Alexander G. Karayani — general concept and design of the study; annotation, writing and formatting of the manuscript; research planning; analysis of publications on the research topic, monitoring of the research, highlighting and describing the psychological consequences of participation in hostilities and forms of chronicization of the combat Ego.

Sergey A. Protsenko — description of the essence and structure of the phenomenon of chronicization of the combat Ego among combat veterans.

Both authors participated in the discussion of the results and approved the final text of the manuscript.

Conflict of interest

The authors declare no conflict of interest.

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