Psychic numbing

Psychic numbing is a tendency for individuals or societies to withdraw attention from past experiences that were traumatic, or from future threats that are perceived to have massive consequences but low probability.[1][2] Psychic numbing can be a response to threats as diverse as financial and economic collapse, the risk of nuclear weapon detonations, pandemics, and global warming.[3] It is also important to consider the neuroscience behind the phenomenon, which gives validation to the observable human behavior.[4][5] The term has evolved to include both societies as well as individuals, so psychic numbing can be viewed from either a collectivist or an individualist standpoint. Individualist psychic numbing is found in rape survivors and people who have post-traumatic stress disorder.[6]

  1. ^ Lifton, Robert Jay (October 1982). "Beyond psychic numbing: a call to awareness". American Journal of Orthopsychiatry. 52 (4): 619–629. doi:10.1111/j.1939-0025.1982.tb01451.x. PMID 7148983.
  2. ^ Slovic, Paul; David Zionts; Andrew K. Woods; Ryan Goodman; Derek Jinks (August 2011). "Psychic numbing and mass atrocity". New York University School of Law: 1–17. SSRN 1809951.
  3. ^ Gregory, Robert J. (Fall 2003). "Venturing past psychic numbing: facing the issues". Journal for the Psychoanalysis of Culture and Society. 8 (2).
  4. ^ Cite error: The named reference kolk was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  5. ^ Cite error: The named reference decety was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  6. ^ Rozynko, Vitali; Harvey E. Dondershine (Spring 1991). "Trauma focus group therapy for vietnam veterans with ptsd". Psychotherapy. 28 (1): 157–161. doi:10.1037/0033-3204.28.1.157.