MENTAL STABILITY OF THE SOLDIER

Abstract

A high level of mental stability of a soldier is an indispensable guarantee of his combat activity. In the given scientific article, mental stability is considered as a soldier’s energy resource that levels various kinds of life troubles, promotes rapid adaptation to adverse conditions and uncertainty. It is the key to maintaining a high level of combat capability in the mortal danger conditions for a long period of time. The author outlines the individual-typological characteristics that a mentally stable soldier has, while performing combat missions in war. It is established that mental stability is a special soldier’s virtue. In this context, a mentally resilient soldier appears as a standard of action, courage, responsibility, flexibility and steadfastness. Using the historical method of research, the author of the article builds a psychological profile of a stoic soldier. His main feature is the daily overcoming of various kinds of trials, which in the end should harden the soul of a soldier, becoming a kind of vaccination against panic. Among the effective mechanisms that ensure the development of soldier’s mental stability in conditions of mortal danger is revenge, which is considered as a means of restoring justice. It is proved that in war conditions the feeling of soldier’s revenge is preceded by strong emotional pain. By transforming into action, revenge activates the imagination and thinking of the soldier, making his actions elastic, flexible, and his behavior ready for unconventional actions. It has also been found that in war, revenge is a mechanism to challenge and counter the feeling of fear. By viewing fear as a soldier’s combat resource, the stages of its experience at different battle stages are revealed. The relationship between fear, awareness of danger and intuition is outlined. The main stressors that undermine the mental stability of a soldier are identified. They include: fear of becoming disabled; exhaustion (combat fatigue); an enemy that is not visible; an aggressive environment; uncertainty.