When the System Breaks Its Own Values, How Do We Move Forward?
Reclaiming Purpose Amidst Institutional Betrayal
In the US, the past two weeks have been a whirlwind of government overreach, systemic erasure, and deliberate harm—a purge of critical public health information, a relentless attack on immigrants and trans people, sweeping executive orders that weaken national security and dismantle government accountability.
If you’re an American feeling morally destabilized, cognitively overwhelmed, or struggling to process the sheer scale of institutional betrayal—you’re not alone. What we’re witnessing is a manifestation of political moral distress: the pain of watching a governmental system that is supposed to serve all citizens violate the values it claims to uphold.
So where do we go from here?
No, we can’t just pour whiskey on these problems and light them on fire. 🥃🔥
Numbing ourselves to the chaos or forcing optimism where none exists will not work.
We must actively reclaim purpose in moments like this as acts of resistance.
1. Name What’s Happening
We are not imagining this. It is not alarmist to feel the weight of these actions. Erasure of truth. Targeted cruelty. Abandonment of duty. These are deliberate choices, and naming them is the first step in resisting them. Moral injury thrives in silence.
Naming reality is an act of resistance.
2. Separate Yourself from the System’s Failures
When institutions betray us, it’s easy to feel powerless and to internalize the despair. But you are not the system that is failing. Your pain, your disbelief, your outrage, your grief, your refusal to look away—these are signs that your moral compass is intact and showing you the way.
Hold onto that.
3. Resist Moral Numbing
Overwhelm is part of the strategy. If we’re too exhausted, too demoralized, too lost in the churn of crisis after crisis, our ablity to find moral clarity weakens. Fight the urge to disengage entirely. Focus where you can, and let yourself feel your feelings —rage, grief, resolve.
These emotions are signals, not burdens. And letting them out prevents these feelings from festering.
4. Reclaim Purpose Through Limited, Focused Action
Purpose doesn’t come from institutions; it comes from people. From the communities we protect, the truths we refuse to erase, the voices we amplify. Whether it’s advocacy, mutual aid, organizing, or simply bearing witness—every act of resistance matters.
Choose 1-2 topics that matter deeply to you and keep focus on those.
Find where you can show up, and do it.
5. Take the Next Step—And Then the Next
Moral distress doesn’t resolve overnight. There’s no single action that will undo the harm, but the work is in the doing. Show up. Speak up. Support those most directly affected.
Refuse to let this become the new normal.
The system is failing us. But we are still here. And we are not powerless.
Let’s keep the conversation going—because naming, resisting, and reclaiming purpose is how we fight back.
Head to the comments and share what you are doing today to keep moral injury at bay. Where are you focusing your precious effort and energy?
Be well,
Alyssa
Dr, oh goodness I have so many feelings about this one.... Former foster kid and Troubled Teen Industry survivor here.... Most of the abuse I faced was actually IN facilities and perpetuated by other staff, psychiatrists, therapists, etc (occasionally other kids) however the amount of times I was told "this is for your own good" ooooof......
so Yes.... I feel this distrust deeply in my soul.... I am in my 40s so this unease is nothing new to me...in my case, my parents were definitely immature and at that time being gay was WAY more taboo however the actual abuse in the system from CPS and others is appalling...
For the longest time, I couldn't even talk about it because so many people said exactly this "they were trying their best" or justifying straight up abuse.... or I was told that I am "anti-science" "anti-psychiatry" or a scientologist. I don't identify as anything of those things, though I am psychiatry "critical"
I will say this as many times as I need to however, psychiatry and adjacent psychology fields have a long history of oppression that continues to this day.... while I don't see the world as black and white, and acknowledge that for some these services or medications have been beneficial, it will never erase what happened to me and countless others and what continues to happen to people stuck in the system.
and as much as I hate to admit it, I DO understand how people come to these extreme views I think this "moral injury" bleeds into poor care..... so those of us that do grow up, learn that these institutions were abusive... why WOULD we trust them? It took a very long time for me to come to a place where I will even get healthcare..... here is what I personally do.
1. I make sure that I have an advanced directive filled out and easily accesible
2. I always bring my wife with me as my advocate.
3. I am very upfront about the fact that I had a bad experience. Most nurses and docs understand this and I have found that it has cut down on negative experiences.
Late to the advocacy game, but I have been calling my two senators daily since last Friday. I remind myself that doing something, even though it’s not huge, is still important. I try to lesson my time on social media and/or find the non-political authors such as Niall Harrison who saves dogs in Thailand🥰 And Isabel Klee who writes/posts about her foster dogs in NYC and her dog Simon. ❤️. And, of course, read the excellent articles by you!