Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. How can you deal with anxiety and avoid panic? The psychologist advises

You can read more about the ongoing war in Ukraine at

– Indeed, fear can paralyze us today and take away our rational view of the situation. However, it is worth not to give up completely and try to evaluate the situation in a balanced way – stresses psychologist Katarzyna Kucewicz in an interview with woman.Gazeta.pl.

“We have to work, take care of our children, life has to go on somehow. To contain it all, a person has to thaw outside of this situation, come to a balance.”

– Many years ago, the psychotherapist Maxie Maultsby coined 5 principles of rational thinking, which are still recommended to patients in moments of fear and uncertainty. These principles come down to 5 questions to ask yourself in times of anxiety: Is this thought based on facts? Does this thought help me protect my life and health? Does this thought help me achieve my closer and more distant goals? Does this thought help me avoid or resolve the most undesirable conflicts with other people? Does this thought help me feel the emotions I want to feel without abusing any substances? Maultsby said that if we answer NO 3 times, we should think about how we can think about this situation so that it would be healthy for us – explains Kucewicz.

However, as he explains, there are many more methods to control anxiety. – You can also try to help yourself by calming your body, deep breathing, meditation. Of course, it is not a question of shutting up your yoga mat and pretending that nothing is happening in the face of this cataclysm. Rather, it is about doing something small for yourself in the breaks between watching news and helping people from Ukraine. For your mental health. Because even if we are strong, this stress is enormous and in order to help well, you need to be well armed – mentally, emotionally – he emphasizes.

As he points out, one of the most effective forms of relieving tension is also, first of all, talking and providing real help to those in need. – While helping, a person begins to experience community, belonging, solidarity – he explains.

He also advises that, in addition to tracking the information coming to us from Ukraine, also find time for lighter topics. – Soaking up with bad information only tightens us, makes us numb, distracted. And yet we have to work, take care of our children, life must go on somehow. In order to contain it all, a person has to thaw outside of this situation, come to a balance – he emphasizes.

As he emphasizes, there is no one proven method to deal with a crisis situation. Each of us reacts in our own way. There are those who commit themselves to the maximum immediately, and those who need to cut themselves off for fear of being emotionally crushed by it. In my opinion, every person should act in accordance with their own conscience and we have nothing to do with it – he emphasizes.

– For example – many of my patients suffer from bipolar disorder. Today I even met with such words among them that they have to cut themselves off, do some funny things, because they are afraid that if they get completely absorbed in this war, depression will crush them. And I understand it. Everyone knows for themselves what their limit is. Someone may be in the news all the time, someone else will read about the situation that took place on the Snake Island and it will break it down for the whole day. Let’s not be puppets that if someone else has to, I also have to. We have the right to deal with it in our own way. And let’s give this right to others – he appeals.