"𝘖𝘶𝘳 𝘩𝘶𝘴𝘣𝘢𝘯𝘥𝘴 𝘥𝘪𝘥𝘯'𝘵 𝘨𝘰 𝘵𝘰 𝘸𝘢𝘳 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘜𝘬𝘳𝘢𝘪𝘯𝘦 𝘴𝘰 𝘸𝘦 𝘤𝘢𝘯 𝘴𝘪𝘵 𝘢𝘳𝘰𝘶𝘯𝘥 𝘤𝘳𝘺𝘪𝘯𝘨" - writes Vitaly Shevchenko in BBC News, highlighting the alarming rise in mental health challenges faced by Ukrainians since the Russian invasion. Research from the Ukrainian Health Ministry shows a doubling of individuals suffering from mental health issues in just one year. The Lancet Group reports that 54% of Ukrainians are experiencing PTSD, with 21% facing severe anxiety; the highest stress, anxiety, and PTSD severity was observed among displaced people.⁣⁣
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𝐓𝐡𝐞𝐬𝐞 𝐟𝐢𝐧𝐝𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐬 𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐨𝐧𝐚𝐭𝐞 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐨𝐛𝐬𝐞𝐫𝐯𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬 𝐟𝐫𝐨𝐦 𝐭𝐡𝐞 Empatia Program 𝐢𝐧𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐯𝐞, 𝐰𝐡𝐢𝐜𝐡 𝐰𝐞 𝐥𝐚𝐮𝐧𝐜𝐡𝐞𝐝 𝐢𝐧 𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟐 𝐭𝐨 𝐬𝐮𝐩𝐩𝐨𝐫𝐭 𝐚𝐜𝐜𝐞𝐬𝐬 𝐨𝐟 𝐝𝐢𝐬𝐩𝐥𝐚𝐜𝐞𝐝 𝐩𝐞𝐨𝐩𝐥𝐞 𝐟𝐫𝐨𝐦 𝐔𝐤𝐫𝐚𝐢𝐧𝐞 𝐢𝐧 𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐚𝐥 𝐡𝐞𝐚𝐥𝐭𝐡 𝐬𝐞𝐫𝐯𝐢𝐜𝐞. 𝐎𝐮𝐫 𝐝𝐚𝐭𝐚 𝐬𝐡𝐨𝐰𝐬 𝐚 𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐫𝐲𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐢𝐧𝐜𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐬𝐞 𝐢𝐧 𝐩𝐬𝐲𝐜𝐡𝐨𝐥𝐨𝐠𝐢𝐜𝐚𝐥 𝐡𝐞𝐥𝐩 𝐫𝐞𝐪𝐮𝐞𝐬𝐭𝐬, 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝟗𝟖𝟖 𝐫𝐞𝐪𝐮𝐞𝐬𝐭𝐬 𝐫𝐞𝐠𝐢𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐞𝐝 𝐟𝐫𝐨𝐦 𝐀𝐩𝐫𝐢𝐥 𝐭𝐨 𝐃𝐞𝐜𝐞𝐦𝐛𝐞𝐫 𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟑, 𝐫𝐢𝐬𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐨 𝟏,𝟏𝟖𝟗 𝐫𝐞𝐪𝐮𝐞𝐬𝐭𝐬 𝐟𝐫𝐨𝐦 𝐉𝐚𝐧𝐮𝐚𝐫𝐲 𝐭𝐨 𝐒𝐞𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐦𝐛𝐞𝐫 𝐨𝐟 𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟒.⁣⁣
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International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies - IFRC shares similar concerns, as their latest research reveals the severe impact of ‘𝘧𝘶𝘵𝘶𝘳𝘦𝘭𝘦𝘴𝘴𝘯𝘦𝘴𝘴’ on the mental health of displaced Ukrainians. As Ganna Goloktionova, Technical Advisor at the IFRC’s Psychosocial Centre, points out, this psychological toll has been devastating.⁣⁣
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It is more important than ever to prioritize mental health services, both within Ukraine and among displaced populations. Ensuring access to these essential resources is crucial to the long-term recovery and well-being of those affected.⁣⁣