Reflections on the Psychological Damage of People Exposed to War Situations in Colombia

Abstract

The current chapter discusses the reflections on the psychological damage of people exposed to war situations in Colombia. Perhaps it has always been so, but it seems we have been inundated by violence that finds its origins in human conflicts. Colombia is an example. Our TV screens and the media are full of images of victims, survivors and perpetrators of armed conflict and war that has affected the country for over 40 years. Nevertheless, from 2003 to now, Colombia has been ranked one of the ten happiest countries in the world. How is it possible? How are we to understand psychological damage and repair? According to the Law of Justice and Peace, repairing the psychological damage is unavoidable if we want to reach reconciliation and peace among Colombians. In order to contribute something to the discussion, this chapter will explore the concepts of psychological harm, victims and perpetrators and propose experiential avoidance as a useful concept to understand coping style. I further maintain that the psychological damage among people who live outside war zones, although virtually invisible if compared to the direct victims, could be more harmful if it is thought that violence is an element of people's everyday lives. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2020 APA, all rights reserved)