Some people have such a hard time coping with reality, that some how, they have been SO wrong for so long that it becomes absolute mental gymnastics to justify one's belief.
That is similar to PTSD but it is known as cognitive dissonance.
I wrote a piece on this and am looking to expand into a second article.
https://steemit.com/military/@daxinth/the-military-why-everyone-should-quit-and-not-join