OPINION: Invisible Wounds of War: Mental Health Challenges in Ukraine

At a time when global challenges are overlapping, creating unprecedented pressure on humanity, the issue of mental health comes to the fore. It becomes not just an individual need, but a key component of global development. In particular, in the context of Ukraine, where war leaves deep invisible wounds, mental health support becomes vital for the future of the nation. And it is us, Ukrainians, who must look for new approaches in this area.

Today, the issue of mental health is one of the top global challenges of our planet, along with inflation, climate change, poverty, health deterioration and war. This is evidenced by the results of a study conducted by Alligator Digital in September 2023. Experts estimate that 40–50% of the population needs or will need help with mental health. Among combatants, this number is even higher. According to an anonymous survey of veterans conducted by the Ukrainian Veterans Fund, two-thirds of those who return from there face psychological difficulties in civilian life.

Moreover, mental health disorders have a more destructive effect on a person and society in general, even compared to war and disease. As a consequence of all other negative factors, mental health disorders are the obstacle that prevents humanity from coping with other global challenges. Therefore, maintaining one's mental health is the primary task of each of us.

I would say that today the most promising answer to the recruiter's question "How do you see yourself in five years?" is "In common sense!".

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Invisible wounds of war

According to the International Organization for Migration, more than 15 million Ukrainians need psychological and psychiatric help in connection with Russian aggression.

But it seems to me that the real number is much higher. Today, there is no person who does not feel grief, stress, does not suffer from the loss of loved ones, family, home, work, does not have a sense of fear, insecurity and uncertainty. This war came to everyone. After all, thanks to the Internet and social networks, it turned from a very traumatic but distant event into a daily reality for millions of people. Bucha, Irpin, Chernihiv, Dnipro, Odesa, Uman — the soul and mind can no longer withstand all this pain, and begin to look for ways to protect themselves from destruction. This is how psychological problems arise.

Finding a way to stay "sane" is necessary not only in order to preserve the resource state and survive in difficult conditions, but also in order to support others. Because we have so much to do: work, take care of our kids, write “I love you, take care of yourself” to our loved ones, and donate to the Armed Forces. And after the victory there will be even more work to do. After all, our goal is a rich, prosperous Ukraine and healthy, happy Ukrainians.

A healthy mind in a healthy body?

But is it true that a healthy mind is in a healthy body? We inherited this phrase from Soviet times, along with a negative attitude towards any mental deviations. Going to a mental hospital meant putting an end to one's career, and one could only talk about personal problems with friends over a glass of wine. The entire education system was built on the fact that one should hide one's feelings, not tell anyone about personal experiences, "not to take the garbage out of the house", etc. Boys were taught from childhood to "be strong" and not cry, while girls were taught to tolerate and obey their elders.

If we return to the phrase "a healthy mind in a healthy body", originally it sounds like this: "a healthy mind in a healthy body is a rare combination", and has almost the opposite meaning.

As a result of many years of ignoring psychological problems in our society and a negative attitude towards people with symptoms of mental disorders, we are in a situation where Ukrainians are not even familiar with the basic principles of psychological hygiene. We don't have a culture of talking to a psychotherapist and, in general, talking about your feelings with anyone. Therefore, we have a huge percentage of divorces and a lot of problems in raising children.

Although to be honest there are problems with getting psychiatric and psychological help all over the world. 24% of respondents from 11 countries who took part in the Alligator Digital survey said that they would feel uncomfortable talking about their problems with experts. And the main reasons why they hide psychological deviations are "It's embarrassing", "It will spoil my reputation at work", "It will hinder employment."

We were just beginning to realize the need to take care of our mental health, as a new ordeal awaited us — the war that brings new problems of a psychological nature.

The difficulty here also lies in the fact that there are no books or methods that would describe the psychological injuries received in a hybrid war with the level of information technology that we have today. We will have to write these books, create methods, and help ourselves to help others.

Step by step to mental health

Treatment protocols for mental disorders include medication and talk therapy. Medications, while relieving the acute phase, provide only temporary relief and sometimes lead to addiction, potentially creating an even bigger problem in the future. As for talk therapy, Ukrainians are not yet in the habit of consulting a psychologist. And there are not many qualified specialists in Ukraine who can not only listen but also carry out psychological correction. Therefore, the main task now is not to "give fish to the hungry" but rather teach them how to fish by themselves. After all, there are simple ecological methods that allow effective treatment of mental health disorders, mitigating the negative consequences of medication approaches. We are talking about meditation, breathing and physical exercises.

In an effort to help Ukrainian society solve the problem of mental health during the war and accelerate post-war recovery, Impact Force launched the Restart Mindset program. Its goal is to integrate military personnel, veterans and civilians, at the first stage women, who suffered psychological trauma during the war into normal life as soon as possible.

We believe that together we will achieve success on this path. The fact that Ukrainians increasingly understand the importance of mental health and seek information on this topic adds to the optimism. We place our greatest hopes on the youth. 70% of 18-24 year olds surveyed by Alligator Digital believe their mental health will improve over the next three years. Step by step, society's attitude towards people with mental disorders is also changing — young people use the words "strong", "brave", "those who inspire" when describing them.

So let's be strong and brave and inspire each other because we are needed by ourselves, our relatives and our country. Together, we can build a Ukraine where mental health is a priority, and support those who have been traumatized — it’s an obligation of all of us. This is how we will be able to restore our country and ensure a strong and healthy future for every Ukrainian.