The psychological injury inflicted by exposure to, or direct victimization by, oppressive political systems, violent ideological conflict, state-sponsored violence, or the chronic terror of living under unstable or authoritarian regimes. This includes the trauma of refugees, persecuted minorities, political prisoners, and citizens subjected to gaslighting propaganda, the collapse of social contracts, and the betrayal by trusted institutions. It is the damage done when the political sphere, which should provide security and order, becomes a source of pervasive threat and moral injury.
Example: A journalist in an authoritarian country is kidnapped, tortured, and released, but lives in constant fear of re-abduction. A family in a war zone hears bombs every night for years. A minority community sees their rights legislated away and faces increasing state-sanctioned violence. Even in stable democracies, a person may develop political trauma from chronic exposure to threats of civil war, the erosion of democratic norms, and the feeling of helplessness as institutions fail. The trauma is the shattering of the fundamental trust that the political world will provide a safe container for life.
by Dumu The Void January 27, 2026
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