Stress and anxiety in war conditions: effective advice from a psychologist

A woman who has lost a child or a husband. A man returning from war. A doctor tirelessly treating wounded patients. A rescuer works day and night to clear rubble from houses. A volunteer who works until he burns out.

We are now forced to live with the war. And it affects everyone differently. But we all have something in common — the stress and fear we have experienced. We have lost our sense of security and are on constant alert.

Natalia Borysova

psychologist

According to a survey conducted by the Gradus sociological company, 71% of Ukrainians experience stress or a high level of nervousness, while 50% of the population experience anxiety and tension. Interestingly, only 2% of these people seek psychological help.

What is stress?

Stress is a natural response to difficulties and threats. Typically, our bodies respond to stress in three ways: fight, flight, or freeze. And each of these responses is chosen by the body depending on what you need at the time and the emergency around you.

The main signs of stress are:

1. loss of appetite or, conversely, excessive food intake;
2. loss of interest in life;
3. deterioration of memory, attention, and concentration;
4. poor performance;
5. insomnia;
6. frequent colds and acute respiratory infections;
7. heart and vascular disease;
8. mood swings;
9. increased anxiety;
10. irritability at the slightest provocation;
11. headaches and muscle tension.

In addition, there are often compulsive habits such as chewing on the lips, constantly fixing the hair, and jerking the leg.

It is important to make sure that the body does not remain in a state of stress for too long. Even short-term stress can hurt your physical and mental health.

How to cope with stress?

The good news is that stress can be overcome, according to psychologists and the World Health Organization. In most cases, self-help and self-care practices will help.

One of the practices that psychologist Natalia suggests is talking to yourself. The following questions can help:

• What am I feeling right now?
• Why am I feeling this way?
• What need do I have to fulfill now?
• What can I do now?

The psychologist also advises trying out six coping strategies that can be relied upon when experiencing stress. This model is called «BASIC Ph» and consists of effective strategies for finding inner support. The main aspects of the BASIC Ph model are:

1. Beliefs and values
   Ask yourself: «What is it all for?», «What do I rely on?», «What do I believe in?», «Who am I»?
2. Influence
   Allow your feelings to be expressed. Recognize your feelings and be aware of how they affect you and others around you.
3. Social interaction
   Interact with others and maintain social contact.
4. Creativity
   Don’t be afraid to express yourself creatively. Develop creativity and out-of-the-box thinking.
5. Cognition
   Analyze the causes of problems and their consequences, sort everything out for yourself, and draw conclusions.
6. Physical condition
   Try different physical activities — yoga, a walk in the fresh air, breathing exercises.

«We need to recognize the most effective strategies for reacting in this or that situation.»

Remember that the world around you begins with the peace within yourself. Therefore, if you have been experiencing stress for a long time or cannot cope with it on your own, we recommend you seek help from a professional.