A person faced with adversity may become demoralized.
Morale is a term important for soldiers. It is a state that incorporates the belief in the group, confidence in victory, commitment, and willingness to undergo hardship. It is associated with better discipline and general attitude.
A demoralized person is the opposite.
Demoralization may be associated with:
(1) economic struggles
(2) military defeat
(3) medical problems (older age with comorbidities, cancer, end-stage disease)
Features of demoralization may encompass:
(1) inability to cope
(2) despair or hopelessness
(3) helplessness and exhaustion
(4) sense of failure (rather than victory), loss of confidence
(5) willingness to give up or unwillingness to go on
(6) loss of meaning
The diagnosis requires exclusion of other diagnoses. It may overlap with depression but not everyone who is demoralized is clinically depressed.
