If You’re Feeling Anxious about the War in Ukraine, You’re Not Alone
What to do if the Ukraine news is weighing on your mind.
Let’s face it: these past few days have been challenging. I might as well say the last few years, actually. Just when we thought a deadly pandemic was over… Russia starts a war in Ukraine.
It’s a lot to process, I get it, and whether you have loved ones in Ukraine or not, a war in Europe can only add to our anxiety levels. The uncertainty about what may or may not happen next is difficult to cope with, and there is no right or wrong way to respond.
I feel anxious, and if you do too, that’s a totally normal reaction.
“It is as if we were all preparing for war”, says Fabio Sbattella, Professor of Psychology at the Catholic University of Milan. “The fact that the Russians have arrived in Kiev made us realize that this conflict concerns us all. The same happened with Covid, when it arrived in Europe from China. Now we are worried about how we should deal with it, and this creates anxiety.”
What Can We Do about It?
Situations like the pandemic and now the war make us feel like we are no longer in control of our lives, and this can trigger feelings of fear, helplessness, and overwhelm.
