Our life has dramatically changed. Today we are afraid, we can feel confusion, anger, apathy, despair. At some moment, it might seem impossible to cope with that all. But it is not true.

“Our psyche can manage such a pressure too. A human possesses a wonderful quality of getting used to any conditions. And even if we cannot fully eliminate anxiety in the current situation, we can alleviate it. And that’s what depends only on us,” psychologist Anna Zbaranska says.

At the internal seminar for the AMC Bridge team, Anna has told us how to maintain mental health during wartime. “Even if you think nothing will come out of it, do it,” insists Anna.

Body care

You might have noticed that you feel cold more often now. It is a natural reaction to stress, so keeping yourself warm is important. Food is also essential, as, under pressure, a brain uses 150 percent of its capacity and requires nutrients. Remember about water and sleep, which will help make a rational decision.

Don’t neglect basic self-care. During wartime, it may seem not that important. But it actually helps stay toned and, consequently, go through these times easier.

Move as far as it is possible. Circle your arms, do squats, imitate jogging—any physical activity is helpful if you want to calm down.

Breathing exercises

Deep breathing can relieve stress at the physiological level. When our exhale is longer than our inhale, the part of the nervous system responsible for relaxation is activated. So, your body receives the sign that everything is okay and you can breathe out.

Here are the simplest breathing exercises:

• Inhale counting to 4; exhale counting to 8.
• Inhale, pause, exhale, pause—counting to 4 at every step.
• Put a hand on your belly and make sure that the hand goes up at inhale and goes down at exhale.

Grounding

When you feel anxiety, look at your legs. You can also massage your feet with hands, stamp your feet, do several squats, or lie on your back and do the bicycle. Feel the strength in your legs.

“I can keep feet firmly on the ground. I have something to rely on, and I am not a balloon filled with worries. I am rather strong to endure it.”

Do you find it weird? It’s the right time for doing weird things that work.

To-do list

If you are in a relatively safe place, make a plan out of two-three regular activities that you can perform today. They may include preparing food, calling the close ones, reading two pages of a book. It will give a sense of control and a possibility to praise yourself.

Communication

People survive in groups. If you notice a desire to self-isolate, it may indicate an excessive traumatic experience. And no matter how bad you want to be alone, it’s vital to rationally get in touch with another person, hold one’s hand, have a hug, or just look into someone’s eyes. It’s crucial to have somebody beside you. Thuswise, we calm down at the biochemical level.

“I’m with you. We are next to each other. We are strong. We will stand up.”

Panic attack

It’s a sharp increase of anxiety that is hard to control. It can be accompanied by the fear of death and the feeling that events around are unreal. The following techniques will help get out of it:

• Bring yourself back to here and now. Name 5 things you see, 4 sounds around, 3 tactile sensations, 2 scents, and 1 thing you can taste.
• Put your hands on your ribs and breathe so that you can feel the chest movement.
• Look to the right and left without turning your head.

Safe place

Recollect a place in which you felt entirely secure some time ago. What do you see there? What scents do you feel? What do you hear? Is it warm or cold there? What is your body reaction to that?

And now try to say what gives you the feeling of safety in that place. Let your thoughts wander around that area, and then ask yourself: what can I do here and now to feel more secure?

Whatever it might be, do it. Your psyche knows the right way, just do not block it. So, you will help it process what has happened to you and will be able to live further less anxiously.

Let stress out

Often not events themselves but our body that freezes up because of anxiety has the most negative influence on the psyche. That’s why, transfer stress to action and not to freezing. Anything will work: running imitation, dancing. Do you feel trembling? Intensify it: tense your muscles and hold this state a second longer than you would like to before relaxing. It minimizes the stress influence on the organism.

Yell, sing, or mumble. And do it consciously, putting all your effort into the sounds. Also, release stress through words and swearing. We will now use obscene language much more actively than before. And it’s also a way to live through stress.

Feeling of helplessness

Change the question ‘What to do?’ to ‘What CAN I do?’.

Maybe you can prepare some stuff for evacuated people, support your family or the army, compose a plan of further actions, or even shift objects around you. In 99.9 percent of situations, we can do something. And any action will help you feel control over the situation, which will give you a sense of comfort as far as possible.

Find something you can praise yourself for. It will remind you that you have experience and that you are doing a great job!