Russia-Ukraine War: Military Conflicts And Its Effect On Mental Health; A Look At The Psychological Costs of War

As Russian missiles bombarded cities and military bases, government leaders pleaded for help and for powerful sanctions against Russia. Take a look at how wars can lead to mental health problems post-conflict.

The world saw one of the saddest days of history when sounds of the war between Russia and Ukraine echoed loud and reached ears across the globe earlier this week. Russia launched a full-scale invasion of Ukraine that opened with air and missile strikes on Ukrainian military facilities before troops and tanks rolled across the borders from the north, east, and south.

The War Is On: Russia Presses Invasion To Outskirts of Ukrainian Capital

Explosions were heard, airstrikes with bombings were seen, helpless kids crying loud was heard and with that many lost their lives. As Russian missiles bombarded cities and military bases, government leaders pleaded for help and for powerful sanctions against Russia. Civilians piled into trains and cars to flee and patrons of a hotel were directed into a shelter as explosions sounded in Kyiv. Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said in a video address early Friday that 137 people, both servicemen, and civilians, have been killed and hundreds more wounded. He concluded an emotional speech by saying that "the fate of the country depends fully on our army, security forces, all of our defenders". He also said the country had heard from Moscow that "they want to talk about Ukraine's neutral status".

"Russian forces are about 20 miles from Kyiv, Biden administration officials tell lawmakers" https://t.co/6ltBopoX08 Kevin Rothrock (@KevinRothrock) February 25, 2022

Visuals from Kharkiv & Maidan Nezalezhnosti in Kyiv Ukraine this morning,amid #RussiaUkraineConflictTwo loud blasts were heard in Kyiv earlier this morning; Russian President Vladimir Putin authorized a military operation in eastern Ukraine, in Kyiv yesterday (Source: Reuters) pic.twitter.com/7hkGvm83wi ANI (@ANI) February 25, 2022

But, we talk a lot about the loss of lives and the properties when such a war happens, what remains untold is the story of the trauma that remains with the ones who have survived such wars. Yes, war can have a massive amount of effects on a human both physically and mentally. From experiencing trauma episodes of anxiety to brain fogging, every individual who has survived a conflict like this can suffer a lot post-war scenario. Today, when the world is witnessing the worst day from the pages of history, let's dive in to understand what are the psychological impacts of war on humans.

Impact of War On Mental Health

War is not just a military conflict, it can leave you suffering from several health issues, especially mental health. The psychological impact of war can be so huge that talking about it at the moment when the people of Ukraine and Russia are going through the trauma of war is of utmost importance. Now, to begin with, in what ways can a warning affect your mental health? Psychiatric and psychological studies have shown that war leaves enduring episodes in almost everyone irrespective of age and gender. Some of the common effects include:

1. Anxiety disorders,
2. Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD),
3. Depression,
4. Dissociative disorders (disengagement in the external world, depersonalization, derealization, numbing, catatonia),
5. Behavioral disorders (especially aggression, asocial and violent criminal behavior), and
6. Alcohol and substance abuse