Üsküdar Üniversitesi Founding Rector Psychiatrist Prof. Dr. Nevzat Tarhan was a live broadcast guest on TGRT Haber. Tarhan made evaluations on the topics of “Tension Between Israel and Iran and its Impact on Community Mental Health, War Psychology.” Tarhan emphasized that wars today are waged not only physically but also psychologically, economically, and theologically. Stating that the lack of empathy legitimizes violence against civilians, Tarhan noted that societies should be resilient against war psychology and that these traumas are a lesson for humanity. Tarhan added that the war is based on a theological rather than an ideological foundation, and that a great collective trauma has also formed in Israeli society.
“From collective trauma to a strong security complex”
Psychiatrist Prof. Dr. Nevzat Tarhan, who stated in the live broadcast he attended that a great trauma has formed in Israeli society; “There is a movie called Freud’s Last Session. In that movie, a quote from Freud is mentioned. He passed away in 1938, before World War II. He analyzed the war brilliantly. Due to Hitler's oppression, he had to emigrate to England and said, 'The financial dominance of Jews in the world will benefit the Bolsheviks, but this situation will be to the detriment of the Jews.' He said this in the 1930s. Now, when we look at today, we see the existence of a similar financial occupation on a global scale. However, the actors of this occupation have now changed. With new actors, the world is drifting into another realm. On the other hand, it is necessary to understand the psychology of Israeli society and its leaders well. A great collective trauma formed in Israeli society after the Holocaust. This trauma settled with the feeling of 'Never again.' This, in turn, transformed into a strong security complex. For example, someone experiencing security fear, walking in a forest with a gun in hand, might unload all their bullets at the slightest rustle. Israel's state of mind is similar to this. In the past, they pressured Iraq on the pretext of 'There are chemical weapons.' Now, a similar path is being followed with the rhetoric of 'Nuclear weapon threat.' The Israeli leader is using this security complex of society. Perhaps he is doing this for various purposes, even under the direction of global capital. However, the long-term risks of global financial occupation have not yet been fully seen,” he stated.
“Violence against civilians is rationalized”
Tarhan, who stated that empathy has completely disappeared; “Iran has developed a culture of pain and suffering. As in the Shia tradition, they inflict pain upon themselves by chaining themselves during holy days. This is a culture where suffering is glorified. The spirit of resistance is quite high in Iranian culture. This culture has played an important role in their ability to maintain their existence in that region for centuries without ever leaving it. This culture also underlies the famous defenses of Iranians throughout history. They combine this culture with an ideological framework, creating a spirit of resistance. On one side, there is a sociopsychology driven by a security complex, and on the other, there is a political psychopolitical structure shaped by this spirit of resistance. In such situations, it is not difficult to foresee where mutual polarization will lead people. In such cases, the human mind naturally divides into 'us' and 'them.' When security concerns arise, the distinction between friend and foe sharpens. The opposing side is demonized, and this makes them a legitimate target. Unfortunately, civilians also begin to be seen as legitimate targets in this process. Currently, both sides are demonizing the other. Therefore, empathy completely disappears, and violence against civilians is rationalized. This rationalization can be clearly observed on both sides today…” he said.
“Fear of nuclear war restrains people”
Tarhan, stating that the US is not directly entering the war but waging a proxy war; “War stress creates serious effects, especially on soldiers. Since this situation is very common in the US, books have been written on the subject. In fact, the diagnosis of post-traumatic stress disorder was first made in psychiatry after the Vietnam War. At that time, it was defined as war stress or combat stress. Currently, the most common type of hospitals in the US are veteran hospitals. The reason for this is that many soldiers experience post-traumatic stress disorder after the war, and many become alcoholics. This is because these individuals struggle to cope with the deaths, losses, and events they experienced in the war. That is why the US no longer wants to engage in direct wars; it conducts proxy wars. Due to their experiences, they now avoid direct conflicts because they fear war. This fear is actually widespread globally. One of the important reasons why a major war is not breaking out today is the existence of nuclear warheads. I say it's a good thing nuclear warheads exist, because if they didn't, World War III would most likely have already broken out. The fear of nuclear war restrains people at some point. Such situations also create serious effects on civilians. Collective trauma occurs in civilians. Displaced people, those who lost their homes due to bombardment, women, children, the elderly who lost their loved ones… All of these are vulnerable groups. The purpose of bombardment is not only physical destruction but also to break people's psychological resilience by raising the perception of danger. However, breaking this psychological resistance with these methods is very difficult in communities raised with a culture of suffering, like the Iranians,” he said.
“Military decision-makers should evaluate alternative scenarios”
Tarhan, stating that alternative scenarios should be evaluated; “Currently, various scenarios are being produced. The worst-case scenario is to drag Turkey into this war. For example, there is talk of a scenario to involve Turkey in the conflict by creating a threat perception through Syria. This is one of the most dangerous scenarios, and I hope it does not materialize. Turkey will not face such an obligation. Such possibilities must definitely be considered and evaluated. These scenarios should be discussed in war academies, in military strategy seminars. Military decision-makers should evaluate alternative scenarios such as A, B, and C. These issues should be addressed in strategic decision-making bodies, not on television screens. Some news from the US yesterday truly surprised me. There were claims that a voice from heaven spoke to Trump. This is an indicator of a messianic understanding. According to this understanding, a great war will break out with the return of Jesus Christ, and a thousand-year period of sovereignty will begin. Some even see the American leader as a messiah in this process and believe that a greater Israeli state will be established. This is their belief, their plan. However, we cannot know how the plan of destiny will unfold. Nevertheless, as a society, we must be aware of such scenarios. Such plans exist. But most of the time, such grand plans remain with their planners. Because these people attribute almost divine power to themselves. Historically, those who thought this way have generally suffered disappointment and have been remembered poorly. When we look at past examples of those who saw themselves as minor gods and acted as if this war was a divine mission, we see that they often encountered catastrophes. These people have often experienced great disappointments and even genocides. Today, they are being dragged down a similar path. In psychology, this is called narcissistic blindness. Leaders and decision-making actors experiencing power intoxication and believing themselves invincible can detach from reality in this blindness and make inhuman decisions. This is a situation that has been seen countless times in history,” he stated.
“Iranian society can interpret war psychology not as a threat but as an opportunity for solidarity”
Tarhan, mentioning that the psychology and ideological approaches of the Iranian leader should be well analyzed; “Currently, Turkey is acting by leveraging its past experiences and taking into account the views of its security advisors. In this process, Turkey's calm diplomacy is noteworthy. At this point, Turkey's possession of a strong army and the ongoing stability in society are important advantages. This positions Turkey as a more reliable and balancing actor compared to others in the region. Of course, the possibility of entering into war psychology cannot be entirely ruled out, but under current circumstances, the likelihood of resolving this crisis without escalation seems more dominant. On the other hand, it is also necessary to analyze the psychology and ideological approaches of Iranian leaders well. Iran's security bureaucracy has been deeply affected by past traumas, and this differentiates their threat perceptions. Iranian society can interpret war psychology not as a threat but as an opportunity for solidarity. In this context, a psychological stance that emphasizes the inevitability of retaliation rather than the expansion of war prevails on the Iranian side. The current trend seems to be a strategy of limited but determined retaliation instead of a direct large-scale war,” he said.
“Turkey’s strong stance is a great opportunity”
Tarhan, stating that Turkey is an important actor in the international arena; “In the face of this war psychology, Turkey's calm action with a strong state stance is a great opportunity for our society. Being able to remain in a safe position is extremely valuable during this period. On the other hand, calling out wrongdoings and taking concrete steps are equally important. Another striking aspect of this process is that segments with different worldviews in Turkey have been able to adopt a common stance on this issue. The silence of even dissenting voices on this matter and not turning it into political fodder is very valuable. This will also reflect positively on Turkey's image in the outside world. Today, Turkey is an important actor in the international arena with a social structure capable of collective action and a strong state wisdom. However, it is also necessary to be mentally resilient against exaggerated perception management conducted through media and propaganda. For example, expressions like 'We hit him in his house, we targeted him in his room' are frequently heard. These are not very difficult things with today's technology. In 2018, the concept of digital dictatorship was already explained. Now, with digital systems, your car can even be locked remotely while you are driving. In such an era of digital control, the presence of such propaganda is not surprising. However, the main factor that wins wars is ground warfare. Air or naval superiority may be important, but victory is always brought by land dominance. It should not be forgotten that as long as one side says, 'I do not accept defeat,' the war will not end,” he said.
“This war is not only ideological but also a theological war”
Tarhan, stating that the war is not only physical but also a financial and economic war; “A much more important dimension than weapons is trade war. In trade war, the stance of the two global powers, China and the US, is of great importance. The psychologies of the leaders of these countries, their personal histories, narcissistic tendencies, and the approaches of their advisors can directly affect the course of the process. We cannot fully know in which direction these actors will move. However, as a society, it is very important to remain calm during such global crises. There is no need for fear or panic, but caution and vigilance are essential. We see that decision-making actors in Turkey have taken the necessary internal measures against the worst-case scenarios. This is a reassuring situation in terms of social psychology. Keeping the society's psychology strong here is of great importance. However, expecting a solution from a war environment is a rather primitive approach in terms of humanity's level of development. This war, in my opinion, is not only ideological but also a theological war. This is a conflict based more on religious and sacred beliefs than rational explanations. This situation is completely contrary to the ethical and intellectual level humanity has reached. Today's universities, the advancements in science, the understanding of human rights - none of these can legitimize such a war. Humanity will question why it is experiencing this war and will discuss what can be done to prevent similar catastrophes in the future. Currently, many thinkers, academics, and opinion leaders are trying to draw lessons from this war. In psychology, there is a concept of post-traumatic growth. It means that individuals become more resilient and highly aware after the difficulties they experience. This concept is also valid for social fields. Humanity can overcome such a great trauma by growing. This is another hopeful aspect of the event,” he stated.