With the full-scale war Russia has brought to Ukraine and the horrendous crimes of the Russian troops amounting to genocide, the whole Ukrainian nation has been traumatized and continues to live in constant stress and uncertainty about its future. Ukrainians will be able to fully process this collective trauma only after the victory, and it might take decades to heal, but coping with the mental problems of Ukrainians right now is necessary to cotninue the fight.
Soldiers defending Ukraine on the frontline, medical workers, internally displaced people and those who survived occupation, the list of people that may experience PTSD and other kinds of psychological trauma goes on and on. One of the mechanisms for people needing mental help, in particular, the military, is Lifeline Ukraine, the fist suicide prevention hotline in the country. Its founder udnerlines the necessity of normalizing seeking psychological support, about which there has be a stigma for years.
The trauma of this war will be passed down from generation to generation. As a rule, only the third or fourth generation can already touch this preserved pain, when a long period of time separates them from the traumatic event. In order to speed up or facilitate the rehabilitation process of Ukrainians, conditions must be created to work through the trauma, such as the development of psychological services that can provide assistance to the population, and the support of art and artists, as art is a strong way of reflection and symbolization.
Speakers:
- Paul Niland, founder of Lifeline Ukraine
- Igor Kozlovskyy, Ukrainian academic, former Russian captive
- Anna Zozulia, psychologist, psychotherapist, member of the Association of Psychologists of Ukraine.
UKRAINE IN FLAMES project is created by Ukraine Crisis Media Center and NGO “Euroatlantic Course”. We are aiming at searching a loud support for Ukraine in the war started by Russia on the 24th of February 2022.
If you want to support Ukraine against Russian aggression, check the link with recommendations by Ukraine Crisis Media Center – https://uacrisis.org/en/help-ukraine.
NGO Euroatlantic Course collects donations to support Ukrainian Army and civilians – https://eac.org.ua/en/main-page/.
