While not everyone will become distressed or unwell after experiencing potentially morally injurious events, some will. People struggling with moral injury can experience intense feelings such as shame, guilt, anger, worthlessness, and self-blame (Bonson et al., 2023). These symptoms can impact their day-to-day functioning and family life (Williamson et al., 2023). Individuals may experience negative changes in their beliefs about themselves or others (e.g., “I am a bad person”, “My team does not care about me”) or use harmful coping strategies (e.g., self-harm, alcohol use).
While moral injury is not a diagnosable mental health condition, these negative changes in beliefs and behaviours may contribute to the development of serious mental health conditions. A study conducted by Combat Stress and King’s College London suggests that UK veterans who experience moral injury are at a higher risk of developing post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), depression, and suicidal thoughts.
