UkraineWorld spoke with Andriy Kozinchuk, a military psychologist who works with soldiers directly at the front, about the psychological state of Ukraine’s troops warriors, PTSD, and the demand for military psychological aid.
The Ukrainian military is highly motivated. They are confident in their actions and are carrying out their tasks. However, there are signs of general fatigue. There is a need for troops to be rotated so that they can have rest. But there are problems with this.
PTSD is a post-war problem, which makes it premature to talk about how widespread this phenomenon is. The mental conditions soldiers experience can be similar to PTSD symptoms, but they amount to a different diagnosis. While a person is in the midst of psychotraumatic events, they may experience acute reactions to stress, hysteroid reactions, stupor, combat fatigue, and sleep deprivation.
There is no prognosis regarding an increased incidence of PTSD. Motivation and the awareness that people are protecting their own land come into play here. Our understanding of mass PTSD comes from the aftermath of the wars in Afghanistan and Vietnam. Soviet and American soldiers were heavily affected, but the context of those wars was different. There was no clear understanding of purpose. We will undoubtedly see PTSD cases, but not at the same scale as was experienced by the USA or USSR.
Soldiers are more frequently understanding the importance of mental health. In contrast to 2014-2015, the number of soldiers seeking psychological assistance has significantly increased. This is particularly true among younger soldiers, but there are also positive trends among older ones.
Most requests concern the feeling of uselessness. This is one of soldiers' biggest fears. Feeling useless is one of the worst emotional blows for them to sustain. It is critically important for them to be useful to society. This problem becomes especially acute when a soldier cannot return to the front line after being wounded. Therefore, it is important to provide them with the understanding that they are still needed on the home front.
"We need you" is the main message we should convey to our soldiers.
They also experience ordinary human problems. A number of requests concern private and family problems, such as communication with relatives or children, traumatic experience of divorce, etc. Soldiers also sometimes struggle with emotional awareness and with relationships within their units.
Psychologists are glad that the military is addressing the problem of fear. Fear is a natural reaction to the circumstances in which soldiers find themselves. Open recognition of this feeling allows us to work with it and improve soldiers' emotional state. Recognizing fear is an act of courage itself.
Ukraine has many good psychologists, doctors, and social workers who can provide support, psychological rehabilitation, and help in social adaptation. There are charitable organizations, workshops, and courses. Ukraine has veteran spaces for former warriors and their families.
However, the availability of a system is important in adapting to civilian life. It is not enough to create a "road map" of steps for a veteran to take.
What we need is coordination between psychologists, lawyers, social workers, health care providers, and educators. This will give a veteran the opportunity to return to society, return to work and live a full life. Living a full life is what adaptation is all about.
Military psychological service requires training. It's especially necessary for young specialists. More experienced providers also need to update their knowledge and learn about the most up-to-date practices in the field. Ukrainian military psychologists have a lot of practical knowledge and experience, but there is a need to update their theoretical background.
Since military psychologists are mostly on the battlefield, they don't have time to undergo long, extensive training. Therefore, they need intensive short-term training or short, specialized courses.
The demand for knowledge is especially acute given the changes in the military system itself. Ukraine is getting rid of its Soviet legacy and modernizing its armed forces. Psychologists have been shifted from the command space to working directly with people now. That is why it is key for Ukraine's military psychologists to have access to up-to-date best practices and training.
