Side Effects Of Survivor Syndrome During The Holocaust

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The Holocaust was the state sponsored murder of over six million Jews. The Germans targeted multiple different groups due to their racial inferiority, such as the gypsies, the disabled, or homosexuals. The Jews were the Nazi genocides main target, however the other minority groups were treated horribly as well. All of these individuals were treated ruthlessly without mercy, and they had no way out. The prisoners of the camps were forced to complete extremely difficult labor, and on top of it they were horribly mistreated and some were eventually executed. These unbearable conditions left a lasting effect on those who survived. The conditions inside of the camps still haunt those today, and it is displayed through a condition known as Survivor Syndrome. Survivor syndrome includes a series of side effects stemming from the horrible memories of one’s past. This condition affects a multitude of survivors. There have been five …show more content…

The root of all of these issues was Adolf Hitler, who was the German chancellor born in Austria. He possessed very anti semitic views, which influenced the terrible conditions he forced upon his victims in the camps. In the camps, these people were forced to carry out the hardest of labor, and if they were unable to do so, they would be killed. The amalgamation of the appalling living conditions, the cruel treatment of the prisoners, and then intense labor caused 11 million people die in this mass genocide known as the Holocaust. While a multitude of people were killed, some survived. As a result, many of these people displayed various themes such as death imprint, survivor guilt, psychological numbness, and the struggle to find meaning. Overall, the Holocaust left many lasting mental effects on those who suffered through the cruel treatment found in the Concentration