[Article originally published in spanish on Sunday, September 18, 2011 on the author's Visualis Communicatio blog]
By Irving Vierma
The excessive exposure of human beings to constant bombardments of stimuli and sensations, by the mass media, has generated serious conditions and disorders in large sectors of the world's population that are the object of study for psychologists and experts in the psychiatric area. . The Venezuelan doctor Enza Petraglia (Psychopedagogue and Psychologist) has referred us to the DSM-IV as a scientific source for the psychological study of these disorders.
The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-IV-TR) defines it this way: “Dissociative disorders: They consist of an alteration of the integrative functions of consciousness, identity, memory and perception of the environment (with symptoms such as loss of memory of traumatic events, feeling of distance from one's own mental processes and one's own body, to the control of behavior by several successive personality states). Dissociative amnesia, dissociative fugue, dissociative identity disorder, depersonalization disorder and dissociative disorder not otherwise specified are distinguished.
Our socio-political processes have left a trail of “affected” people that we can see daily in many places, especially referred to by news and opinion TV channels. Fans of one side or the other exploit and alter their emotions when faced with certain triggers, affecting friendships and family relationships, among others.
Is there such a thing as psychological warfare? It could be said that the commercial, political and religious dynamics, mainly in our society, have used tools and opportunities to position and privilege arguments of some over others to achieve marketing, militancy and followers goals.
Colors, images, mottos, expressions and dogmas are repeated ad nauseam every day, by all means, to achieve a location that allows competing, attracting, sustaining and manipulating the will of the people who have lived under the constant and unforgiving yoke than the penetration of the message designed - scientifically, to manipulate wills, feelings and ideologies.
In light of these facts and reviewing the specialized literature, we could ask ourselves: How many people do we know with alterations in the integrative functions of consciousness, identity and memory? How many of our friends or acquaintances perceive their surroundings differently than others?
In 2005 I heard it mentioned for the first time by pro-government political activists, referring to their immediate opponents as “dissociated” due to the conflicting and antagonistic positions between these various groups and sectors. After a few years of debates, confrontations and accusations received towards this server, from both parties, I dare to affirm that these disorders have managed to affect many, without distinction of their political or ideological inclination, because everyone, without exception, we have been exposed to the “bullets” of that media battle. “Dissociation” is the disastrous consequence of the propaganda machinery of all sectors.
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