Emotional crises of those facing the draft

Summary

While emotional responses will vary among young men, for many of them the draft constitutes some kind of crisis. Although it may be very difficult, most young men will be able to cope with the complicating factors of the draft and will take it in stride along with other disturbing events in the normal course of life. A young man may be able to cope with his feelings resulting from the draft in ways akin to his coping with similar situations. However, if the threat is too intense, and if there is not sufficient time to mobilize his usual coping mechanisms, the young man will be thrown into a state of crisis. In view of the nature of the developmental process, a young man between the ages of 18 and 22 has rarely developed an adequate sense of identity. Hence, he may be especially vulnerable to the emotional threat of the draft because of the very nature of the process of personality development.

In such a crisis he will need someone to help him cope with the new situation. There are some guidelines which should help the counselee to mobilize his own emotional resources to cope constructively with the crisis. A pastoral counselor may help such a person to honestly face his fears and conflicts, and to face them gradually. Increasing his knowledge about the available possibilities in a particular situation will help him to increase his power to cope with the crisis. Being enabled to face his negative feelings with a sense of responsibility, he will be enabled to accept himself in terms of the situation in which he finds himself. Discovering significant other persons as supportive may give him the necessary time and support to enable him to develop a means of coping with the situation which he faces.