Hitler's Sexual Orientation

Hitler's sexual orientation remains a subject of historical debate, with limited conclusive evidence.   The complexities surrounding Adolf Hitler's sexuality have sparked considerable debate among historians and scholars. There were allegations of inappropriate behaviour towards his niece, Geli Raubal, with some suggesting that he subjected her to sadistic treatment, which ultimately led to her tragic suicide. 

Despite living together with Eva Braun for extended periods, they often occupied separate rooms, raising questions about the nature of their relationship. Domestic staff later reported that they found no evidence of sexual intimacy between the two, further fueling speculation about Hitler's sexual orientation. Some experts propose that he may have repressed his sexuality or even concealed homosexual tendencies, particularly in light of his close affection for Albert Speer, a young architect he admired. This affection stands in stark contrast to Hitler's vehement disdain for the LGBTQ+ community, exemplified by his denunciation of Ernst Röhm, a prominent figure in the Nazi Party known for his homosexuality. The question of whether Adolf Hitler harboured animosity towards Ernst Röhm due to his homosexual lifestyle is a complex one, particularly when considering the psychological dynamics often associated with repressed sexual identities. Historical analysis suggests that individuals who struggle with their own sexual orientation may project their internal conflicts onto others, leading to a heightened sense of homophobia. In the case of Hitler, who is often speculated to have had latent homosexual tendencies, his relationship with Röhm, a prominent openly gay figure within the Nazi Party, could have been fraught with tension. 

Renowned psychologist Henry Murray from Harvard University suggested that Hitler grappled with profound confusion regarding his sexual identity. Additionally, historian Lothar Machtan, in his book "The Hidden Hitler," posits that Hitler may have had homosexual inclinations, adding another layer to the already intricate narrative of his personal life. 

Child Soldiers - by Dr Ruwan M Jayatunge and Professor Daya Somasundaram (Published by Cambridge University Press)

Jayatunge, R.M., Somasunderam, D. (2014). Child soldiers. Essentials of Global Mental Health (Published by Cambridge University Press Section 4 (23).

The chapter "Child soldiers" was co-authored by Dr. Ruwan M. Jayatunge and Professor Daya Somasundaram and published by Cambridge University Press in 2014 as Chapter 23 of Essentials of Global Mental Health, edited by Samuel O. Okpaku.

The phenomenon of child soldiers can be found manifesting in situations of horizontal inequalities between groups with clearly defined cultural or ethnic identities. In war and violent conflict, children are traumatized by such common experiences as frequent shelling, bombing, helicopter strafing, round-ups, cordon-off and search operations, deaths, injury, destruction, mass arrests, detention, shootings, grenade explosions, and landmines. The impact of war on their growing minds and the resulting traumatization and brutalization are decisive in making them more likely to become child soldiers. Apart from death and injury, the recruitment of children becomes even more abhorrent when one sees the psychological consequences. Reintegration of the former child soldiers can be challenging. Some children have no families; either they have fled the country, or they have been killed in the war. Child soldiers often face psychological and social problems.

The authors examine the recruitment, traumatization, and reintegration of children involved in armed conflict from a global mental health perspective. The authors describe child recruitment as a form of abuse and note that it often happens in environments with significant inequalities between groups. They conclude that despite available rehabilitation processes, many former child soldiers still experience the negative impacts of war. The authors assert that effective reintegration and prevention depend on addressing the underlying socioeconomic and political factors contributing to recruitment. 

LINK ; https://www.cambridge.org/core/books/abs/essentials-of-global-mental-health/child-soldiers/C868557CA43324AB571DDF9E3DD54F06

Handagama's "Take This Road"

Sri Lankan film director Asoka Handagama's "Take This Road"  is an artistic testimony of the prolonged armed conflict in Sri Lanka. The film portrays the destiny of three families from three different ethnic backgrounds affected by the war. Although the cultural roots are different, their suffering is universal. 

A Sinhala family goes to Jaffna via the newly opened A9 road to see the Northern Peninsula. The Sinhala family consists of a father, mother, daughter, and son. Their father is a psychological casualty of the 1996 Central Bank bombing that took place in 1996, in which nearly 90 civilians lost their lives. The father suffers from startling reactions, hypervigilance, and flashbacks. Sometimes he goes into pathological dissociation and disconnects from reality. 

The Muslim family is visiting the North after many years, and they intend to see the lost property. In 1990, they were forcibly expelled from the North along with their community by the LTTE, which was an act of ethnic cleansing. The family lost their livelihood, identity, and dignity. They came to Puttlam and lived there for many years as refugees. When they come to their village, the houses are in ruins and uninhabited. What they labored for a lifetime had gone. Vanished without a trace. 

The Tamil family, which lives in the North, underwent many hardships as a result of the armed conflict. The head of the family, a retired government servant, witnessed how his enriched Tamil culture turned into a totalitarian cyanide culture. One of his sons joined the LTTE and became obsessed with hate and retaliation. The family undergoes war trauma that is beyond the usual human experience. Ruined infrastructure, land mines, fear, and uncertainty become the critical components of their lives. They have a foreshortened future now. 

The war in Sri Lanka has traumatized the people and made communities dysfunctional. People became suspicious of each other and lived in fear, maintaining a deep conspiracy of silence. The war affected every layer of society and every ethnic group, mostly up to the individual level. Although the film recounts human trauma and social maladies, Take This Road gives a powerful message to the viewers. Despite the suspicion, ethnic rivalry, and deep-rooted hatred, people from different ethnic groups.

As Ashoka Handagama, I sought to explore the consequences of the three-decade-long armed conflict in Sri Lanka through my book, Shell Shock to Palali Syndrome. In reference to my book,  Professor Richard N. Lalonde from the Department of Psychology at York University, Canada states, " A key point in this book is the initial and long-standing denial of PTSD by Sri Lankan authorities, who often dismissed it as an 'American illness." The book highlights the painful process of overcoming this official reluctance to acknowledge combat-related trauma, which left countless victims untreated for years.  The work documents the vast number of psychological casualties—far beyond the combatants—that include civilians, child soldiers, and war widows. The book illustrates these different presentations with narrative case examples, making the abstract concept of PTSD more relatable. " 

While I have made efforts to raise awareness about the impact of war trauma and its repercussions, I believe that Handagama's contributions stand out as particularly distinctive and effective. His work offers compelling and unparalleled insights into the armed conflict in Sri Lanka, provoking deeper reflection on the subject.

Taking Things for Granted

We often take things for granted around us, including our material possessions, services, natural resources, our relationships, our loved ones, family, and friends; everything. We foster certain entitlement and demand things. We don't care or feel the importance of it until we lose it. Its human tendency that we frequently overlook the significance of the various elements that surround us, including our material belongings, essential services, natural resources, and the relationships we cherish with family and friends. It is often only in the face of loss that we come to recognize the true importance of these aspects of our lives, from the very air we breathe to the moments of tranquillity we experience. While we may be acutely aware of the monetary value assigned to our possessions, we often fail to grasp their deeper significance and the impact they have on our well-being. In other words, we know the price of everything, but we don't know its true value. I think Oscar Wilde clearly stated, 'What is a cynic? A man who knows the price of everything and the value of nothing. This lack of appreciation extends to our physical and mental health, which we may take for granted until it is compromised. Cultivating a sense of gratitude is a practice that deserves our daily attention, as it allows us to acknowledge and honour the richness of our experiences and the people who contribute to our lives. I think gratitude is a virtue that we should practice every day. By fostering this virtue, we can enhance our awareness of the world around us and develop a more profound appreciation for the blessings we often overlook.

Application of Artificial Intelligence in Mental Health ( Presentation )

Application of Artificial Intelligence in Mental Health ( Presentation )

By Dr Ruwan M Jayatunge, M.D. PhD 

LINK ;  https://odysee.com/@LearnHub:5/Application-of-Artificial-Intelligence--in-Mental-Health:d