It became known how Ukrainians perceive the war

Researchers who studied how Ukrainians lived during the war found that mostly women (90%) apply for crisis psychological help, while men apply much less frequently (10%). Most of the clients are people aged 18 to 35, the older ones turn less often.

The vast majority (86%) seek help after a specific event.

Although war itself is a traumatic event, the need for counseling arises after a specific traumatic situation. Often it is the need to leave the house, the death of loved ones or a threat to life - one's own or close ones, - says Olga Ovchar, head of the research agency Proinsight Lab.

Research confirms that counseling is often sought with guilt, survivor syndrome and witness trauma, fear and anxiety .

Among the requests is also the need for support in making a decision to change the place of residence. People come with problems of adaptation in another country and with requests for resolving family or internal conflicts that have escalated against the background of the war.

The most common symptoms among clients are : fear, anxiety, guilt, sleep problems, physical exhaustion, breathing problems and trouble concentrating. Emotional symptoms are more pronounced than bodily and cognitive ones. Interestingly, the farther the respondents are from the fighting, the more pronounced their emotional symptoms.

Experts suggest that this is due to the so-called witness trauma, which can occur when watching the news and is associated with a sense of helplessness due to being in a conditionally safe place.

Anxiety predominates among the emotions experienced by crisis counseling clients. It is felt by almost two-thirds of clients - 62%. It is also common for clients to talk about feelings of guilt (survivor syndrome) and aggression, but almost half of clients feel hopeful.

The researchers note that clients choose healthy ways to cope with stress, constructive coping strategies predominate: seeking social support (the desire to be in a community, to share their experiences with others), taking responsibility (willingness to take responsibility for the current situation and actively act to change it) and self-control (regulation of one's own state and control of one's own behavior).