How to manage anxiety about the war in Ukraine?

War has consequences that go beyond the material losses suffered by the countries involved in this type of conflict. In fact, it has a great capacity to harm the mental health of people who live far away from the scenes of violence. And in the case of the war in Ukraine, this invasion is taking place in one of the most densely populated areas in the world, so it can affect many people.

In this sense, here we will see some tips to manage the anxiety caused by the invasion of Ukraine by Russia.

• Related article: "Types of Anxiety Disorders and their characteristics"

How does anxiety arise in the face of a large-scale war?

Anxiety is, above all, a psycho-physiological response generated by situations that we perceive as dangerous or associated with risk; In short, experiences to which it is crucial to react quickly, without stopping to think too much about what to do.

For this reason, we can consider anxiety as the result of a mechanism of adaptation to the environment that for hundreds of thousands of years has helped us to maintain ourselves with life, to avoid situations that can cost us our lives, shorten it significantly, or make our chances of having children decrease in general; that is why this ability is present in most animals with a complex nervous system.

However, sometimes that tendency to feel anxious in certain situations can get us into trouble; it all depends on how we manage anxiety and the degree of danger we are facing. In the case of wars between countries, this situation of uncertainty can slip through our psychological vulnerabilities to make us settle in a state of almost constant anxiety; in some cases, this experience is so intense and harmful that it becomes what is known as Generalized Anxiety Disorder.

When this happens, our mind falls over and over again into the prediction of catastrophic events that will affect us later. or sooner, or that will directly affect our loved ones (and, therefore, us in a hint). And it is that before an invasion or a war conflict of any kind, we can come to fear for the possibility of Bombs being dropped in our neighborhood, biological weapons being used, being drafted into war, etc All are situations that are not very likely if our country is not at war, but they are serious enough for us to fear them intensely and, if we do not manage anxiety well, generate intrusive thoughts.

As these fears present us with catastrophic predictions, once fear has entered our way of interpreting reality, we begin to actively seek information about that conflict. war, we pay attention to the most alarming opinions, and we proceed to give more credibility to everything that leads us to continue being concerned, through what is known as the bias of confirmation.

• You may be interested in: "Mental health: definition and characteristics according to psychology"

Tips to psychologically manage anxiety about the war in Ukraine

Although each case is unique and ultimately the most effective way to deal with the problem is to go to psychotherapy (so that, with help of a professional, we can have personalized support adapted to our characteristics and experiences), these tips generals can be of help to face and manage the anxiety generated by the war unleashed by the invasion of Ukraine by From Russia.

1. Limit your exposure to the news

It is important to get out of the vicious circle of looking for news about the war to try to find motorcycles to calm down (achieving the opposite effect). This happens by controlling the time spent actively reading news, making other activities occupy a greater percentage of our free time.

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2. Pay more attention to contrast the information

In addition to exposing yourself to less news about the war, it is important that in doing so you do not focus on the channels that tend more to sensationalism or to hypothesize about the most catastrophists. Faced with a situation of uncertainty, no one has exact information about what will happen, so we should not give all the credibility to one or two sources only (or with the same editorial line).

3. Practice relaxation techniques

Incorporating simple relaxation exercises into our daily routines can help us to reduce stress and anxiety levels in a matter of a few minutes. Some of the simplest are Jacobson's progressive muscle relaxation, controlled diaphragmatic breathing, and meditation.

4. Do not add that it is your responsibility to prepare for the worst

Some people feel very pressured by their family role, causing them to feel guilty for not prepare for an imminent war, despite the fact that there are no clear signs that it will affect us in any way direct. You must review those beliefs and not let them affect your mental health and, as a consequence, your personal relationships.

5. Focus on those goals that are based on certainties

Once you've focused on project-based goals that really connect with what motivates you and with your interests and abilities, the tendency to worry about the war will decrease, being displaced by those other topics.

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