In the first days of the war, everyone felt fear for their own lives and the lives of their relatives, many people were gripped by panic. But the war has been going on for almost 6 months now, and acute fear has been replaced by apathy and a depressed state that wears us down.
To preserve your inner resource, you should try to fight against apathy
When you don't want anything / Photo: Depositphotos
Note! Apathy is a state that manifests itself in alienation, indifference to the events around, as well as in the lack of desire to do anything. It most often occurs after stressful situations as a protective mechanism of the psyche, which prevents it from "breaking down" from nervous overstrain.
How to help yourself and loved ones?
We share the advice of psychologist Anna Romanyk
1. Try to lower the level of demands on yourself.
No matter how much we would like to live as before, it will not be possible now. It is neither emotionally nor physically impossible. Setting yourself the goals that you set in peacetime, it is quite likely that you will once again experience the feeling of powerlessness due to the impossibility of realizing or achieving them.
We start small, we are happy with the smallest achievements that we manage to realize. And be sure to praise yourself for any success!
2. Take back control of your own life.
This will help you understand that something depends on you. This is worth noting for yourself, because we can control certain things, but we don't even realize that we are doing it. And we are talking not only about global processes, but also about what may seem like trifles to us.
Return the usual routine to your life: meeting basic needs, fulfilling necessary duties, etc.
Support those who are close to you, ask them for support; remind what is happening and what to do. We all need to feel important and useful in our space now.
How to force yourself to get out of bed / Photo : Elle.UA
3. Make immediate plans.
Try to plan a day, maybe two. The maximum is a week. Of course, it is impossible to plan your activities in the longer term, but short-term planning will allow you to regain control over your own life and return motivation to work.
However, don't make grand visionary plans to avoid frustration.
Try to live today. Now it is more relevant than ever!
4. Try not to be alone
Be sure to meet and communicate with other people. We are all in the same situation. We, more than ever, understand each other's condition, because we have a war now on everyone. And everyone experiences it in their own way. But she definitely showed that we have a lot in common.
Open communication about your own emotions and feelings allows you to experience them. We learn to overcome difficulties when we hear about the successful experiences of others. We try to make plans when we hear about such plans from loved ones.
5. Put aside the constant scrolling of the news feed
This only creates the illusion of control of the situation. All the most important things happen to you. Take care of your safety so that you can, if necessary, take shelter when the need arises. Structure and try to dose the viewing of other news. Constant "consumption" of information overloads the brain and does not give a sense of peace and support, although this is exactly what we are looking for.
6. Give thanks there, then and where it is relevant
No one knows when this war will end. But today we are in this place, in this moment. Focus on the moment "here and now". It is important for us to preserve life, fill it and remind ourselves that we are alive. Living every day, we, against the odds, convey the will to live to those around us.
7. Ask for help
If you feel that it is too difficult to cope on your own - do not delay!
Get help or support from a specialist.
The psychologist knows what to do with it and is ready to help.
We remind you that you can find free psychological support here: https://www.yfua.org/blog/categories/psychological-support
What is the prevention of apathy?
Action, movement and helping others are the best cures for despair /
Photo: versii.if.ua
Conclusion: to get rid of apathy and depression, you should satisfy three areas of life every day: social, physical and cognitive. This is provided by communication with loved ones, physical activity, study, gobi, etc. You can't allow yourself to lie in bed all day and immerse yourself in your own thoughts.
Remember that everything will definitely be Ukraine and we will defeat evil!
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