Positive Psychology for POW Survival

The public are very anxious about the fate of American POWs in the hands of Iraqi captors. Positive Psychology for POW Survival focuses on the triumph of the human spirit in captivity and the psychology necessary for POW survival. It is the featured article in the April 2003 Issue of Positive Living, a free Newsletter published by the International Network on Personal Meaning.

The faces of American POWs paraded on TV are haunting and disturbing. Their ordeal in the hands of Iraqi captors is difficult to comprehend. The lesson of history further feeds our fear. From World War II, the Korean War, to the Vietnam War, American POWs have been treated brutally, in spite of the Hague and Geneva Conventions.

Cognitive techniques, such as creating a mental Safe Home Base, by focusing on positive words or phrases, can be helpful. It is equally important to create an inner sanctuary to which one can retreat for meditation, healing and renewal. Former POWs, such as Senator John McCain and James Stockdale, also teach us the secrets of the triumph of the human spirit in brutal imprisonment. They emphasize the positive psychology of freedom of choice, group bonding, affirmation of meaning and purpose, faith in God and country, and a courageous sense of tragic optimism. Dr. Viktor Frankl's logotherapy also contributes to our understanding of the heroic, defiant human spirit.

More information is available in Positive Psychology for POW Survival, a featured article in Positive Living, a free newsletter published by the International Network on Personal Meaning. To download a copy of the article, please visit www.meaning.ca and subscribe to the free Positive Living Newsletter.