The war in Ukraine evokes strong emotions in all of us. It is difficult to cope with naturally emerging emotions. We are accompanied by fear, anger and uncertainty. We are stressed out and preoccupied with the situation. How to focus on everyday activities, calm your thoughts? Check out the calming exercises.
What to look for in a crisis?
In the face of the current situation, many people cannot cope with the stress resulting from following current events and information overload. The most important thing we should do is paying attention to all shades of emotions, i.e. emphasizing the right to a variety of reactions. The best advice is to accept the consequences of being difficult or incapable of the actions you want to take. The fact that you want to cut yourself off from new information flowing from the attacked places, you do not achieve your highest productivity at work due to distraction or you cry in front of friends, feeling powerless against evil, is there, it’s ok.
It is also not easy the ability to distinguish between fear and anxietywhich is often emphasized by the neurologist Robert Sapolsky. Fear is fear enriched with projections suggested by our imagination, experiencing internally what does not directly concern us, adding unconfirmed content to the information we have obtained. Hence, there are so many appeals for a careful selection of information sources – they provide us with facts on which we base (or rather: we should base) our thoughts.
As an auxiliary in anxiety and stress, it is worth using natural dietary supplements supporting mental health. At Medonet Market you can buy, among others Lavender and Rosary to Stress Herbal Monasterium. See what other supplements are available in the store. Check the offer of preparations for stress.
- Psychological support for people from Ukraine. Here you will find help [LIST]
Free form of help
The Polish application of Mindy has prepared a special, a free collection of recordings to calm down and relieve tension. Do it yourself or offer it to someone who may need this type of help. You can find the free “Uncertain Times” collection on the main screen of the Mindy mobile application. Among the recordings are available prepared by certified specialists:
- breathing exercises to aid in crisis,
- relaxation and visuals with soothing music,
- advice and recordings of webinars,
- guided meditations,
- self-therapy sessions.
The collection includes, among others, the autogenic training of Johannes Schultz, which allows you to independently influence the body and partially control your nervous system. During the training the rhythm of breathing and heartbeat becomes even, the feeling of warmth increases (resulting from a more intense experience of one’s own body).
Exercise is to help the body maintain homeostasis, i.e. balance – e.g. the appropriate concentration of various substances or the level of pressure. It happens through the oscillation in between sympathetic and parasympathetic systems. These are two parts of the autonomic nervous system that adapt us to the so-called combat conditions (including experiencing negative emotions) and rest (e.g. digestion, sleep). The point is not to eliminate difficult feelings, try to suppress them, but to teach the body to react to them in a controlled manner.
Among the available content, you will also find “Separating Facts from Projections” – an exercise that will help you develop your ability to adopt a new perspective, and hence can be supportive in dealing with difficult emotions.
Remember that the described help is free – you do not need to have a subscription in the application. When installing Mindy, register an account and click “X” in the corner of the payment screen – you can start listening from there.
If you do not have the Mindy application installed or you want to share your exercises with someone who, for example, does not have a smartphone, some of the recordings are available on Youtube or Spotify.
Also check: A psychological guide for people hosting refugees from Ukraine
Psychological help
The recordings were prepared by experts, including psychologists, therapists and mindfulness trainers. If you need help, don’t hesitate – ask a specialist for consultation. If possible, also inform others about contacts to places where it can be obtained. Here you will find a list with free psychological help, including the one offered in Ukrainian and (valid as of February 29.02). A big thank you to the psychologists and everyone who shares information on the available forms of help on social media – without them the list would be much shorter.
To improve your well-being, you can try Nervosol K Calming for relaxation and good sleep, available at a favorable price on the Medonet Market.
Let us help by taking actions, if possible, that will contribute to providing medical assistance to the fighters and creating a safe space in our country for people fleeing the war. Let’s not forget about the appropriate psychological care. May this concern also apply to ourselves, so that we always have so much strength in us to provide support.