ISSN 2617-6858
e-ISSN 2617-6866
The Bulletin of National Defence University of Ukraine
- deviant behaviour; continuity; topological analysis; structure; symbolism; finiteness
- https://doi.org/10.33099/2617-6858-25-20-6-05-12
- Pages 5-12
The article analyses a psychological model capable of providing support to military personnel who find themselves in an existential crisis – a state that threatens the integrity of the “Self”, the meaning of existence and the structure of personal values. The aim of the article was to use the example of the Book of Job to reveal the connection between a person’s state in an existential crisis and their perception of space, expressed in topological characteristics. The Book of Job was chosen as research material because it presents the complex psycho-emotional experiences of a person in a crisis situation, which are manifested in a symbolic description of space and allow to analyse the influence of the internal state on its perception. Using historical and psychological reconstruction, hermeneutic and phenomenological approaches, as well as analytical tools of dynamic psychology, a topological analysis of mental space was conducted. It has been established that changes in spatial characteristics correlate with stages of internal dynamics: the loss of spatial continuity corresponds to a fragmentation of meaning, while a narrowing of spatial extent corresponds to a limitation of the field of perception. The study also confirmed that the disruption of structure corresponds to the collapse of the hierarchy of values, and the distortion of dimension corresponds to the loss of depth of self-awareness. The feeling of finitude contributes to the formation of boundaries within which the meaning of life can be restored. An analysis of the plot of the Book of Job showed that experiences of intense emotional pain, internal protest, and states of devastation are critical psychological mechanisms that stimulate a rethinking of one’s own existence, mobilise the resources of the psyche to integrate crisis experiences, and contribute to the formation of a new meaning in life. The results of the study can be used to develop a model of therapeutic space in which the experience of pain, protest, and devastation serve as conditions for restoring meaning to life. Such a model can be applied in the psychological support of individuals who have experienced trauma, loss, or existential crisis, facilitating the integration of crisis experiences and the formation of adaptive strategies for overcoming psychological difficulties
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