Mental Health During War: How Can We Care for Ourselves and Our Families?
Feelings of fear, worry, insomnia, anger, sadness, hopelessness or even confusion are reactions that many people experience during a crisis. You may have noticed that these days you become tired more quickly than before, find it harder to concentrate, constantly follow the news or have more difficulty sleeping at night. You may also feel constantly worried about your family, friends or the future.
If you are experiencing these feelings, you should know that you are not alone. The World Health Organization, the International Committee of the Red Cross and many mental health professionals emphasise that these reactions are usually normal during the first days and weeks of a crisis.
When a person senses danger, the brain tries to protect them. In these situations, the body releases hormones that prepare us to respond to danger. As a result, our hearts may beat faster, our sleep may be disturbed, we may become angry more easily, our concentration may decrease, or we may even find it difficult to make decisions as we did before.
All of these are part of the body's natural response to abnormal circumstances. This does not mean that you are weak or incapable. On the contrary, these reactions show that your body and mind are trying to adapt to difficult conditions.
However, the important point is that if we do not take care of our mental health, these pressures may gradually affect our daily lives, family relationships, work, education and even our physical health.
For this reason, today we want to discuss several simple and practical strategies recommended by international organisations such as the WHO and UNICEF for protecting mental health during crises.
First Step: Accept Your Feelings
One mistake many of us make is believing that we should not feel afraid. We tell ourselves: “I must not cry.” “I must not feel sad.” “I must be strong.”
However, psychologists say that accepting our feelings is the first step towards coping with a crisis.
Be Careful About News Exposure
The World Health Organization recommends following news from reliable sources and setting specific times during the day to check updates.
There is no need to check social media or news channels every few minutes. If you feel worse after watching or reading the news, take a break from your phone for a while.
Do Not Isolate Yourself
One of the most important things that helps people get through a crisis is staying connected with others.
Talking to a friend, calling a family member or simply hearing the voice of someone you trust can create a greater sense of safety.
Sometimes, the other person does not need to offer a solution. Simply feeling that someone is listening to us can help reduce some of the psychological pressure.