Productive psychological attitudes during the war

Due to the war, Ukrainians found themselves in conditions of constant uncertainty: control is lost, it is impossible to plan in advance, there are no guarantees regarding the place of residence and ways of earning money, friends and relatives were scattered around the world. All this affects the psycho-emotional state, tension increases, obsessive thoughts about the bad appear.

An interesting fact is that the nervous system does not particularly distinguish between a potential and real threat, fictional or problem that has already happened. This strategy is evolutionarily beneficial because it minimizes the risks of death of the organism, and it can be used with benefit.

In order not to lose faith in yourself, not to be depressed from demotivation and constant expectation of disaster, you need to form new habits, develop productive psychological attitudes.

1. The dichotomy of control. Allows you to divide phenomena according to the principle of the possibility (or impossibility) of influence on them by the individual. For example, it is beyond our power to change large-scale events, but we are able to vary reactions to them. Find what you can adjust in the environment and within yourself, work on it, use emotional energy to solve pressing issues, and not just passively observe events. Awareness of what cannot be influenced, acceptance of this fact allows us to focus on what is under control, it is on these moments that you need to work first.

2. Rituals of pleasure. Think of things that bring pleasure, even if insignificant. It can be a conversation with loved ones, delicious coffee or tea according to your favorite recipe, a certain dish, reading a book or walking in your favorite place. Try to increase the list of these things and develop the habit of doing something pleasant for yourself every day.

3. Physical activity. Muscle loads stimulate the action of serotonin, positively affect the quality of sleep. During the war, the level of activity can be changed: from reducing it to zero (when you don't want to do anything) to insane loads due to the need to solve many issues at once. It is necessary to transfer these activities to a more controlled mode, awareness allows them to be dosed. 30 minutes of yoga or favorite sport on a regular basis to good music will allow you to unload thoughts and take care of the needs of the body.

4. Sleep quality. The more we are afraid (nervous, panic, agressive), the more resources we spend on overcoming the threshold of anxiety, the worse the quality of sleep and rest in general becomes. Deep sleep, satiety and physical activity are the key to a good potential for stress resistance. It is much easier to maintain self-control when basic needs are met. Critically evaluate the conditions for rest, you may need to replace a pillow or add sentimental things, try to create a pleasant atmosphere around you, even if living conditions leave much to be desired. Get earplugs or a protective eye mask, try to go to bed at a certain hour and wake up on schedule, this will allow the body to adapt to new conditions.

5. Decatastrophization techniques. Our brain, finding a threat, immediately draws the worst outcome of events, and this technique will allow us to soberly assess potential opportunities and consider ways to solve the problem. People prone to catastrophic thinking suffer more from neurosis and react more sharply to various life situations. Also, this type of thinking can make a person more vulnerable to mental illness, such as PTSD, obsessive-compulsive disorder, etc.

Analyze your concerns with questions (preferably recorded in a diary or on a voice recorder): What are you worried about? What are you afraid of in the future? Be sure to indicate what is the probability of a positive result from 0 to 100%? Find productive options for influencing the situation and indicate who exactly can help with a particular issue. Do you know those who have overcome the difficulties described and how.

6. Communication. Carefully analyze your environment, try to communicate with those who adjust in a positive way, support, after contact with whom strength appears.  Influence and change your environment, dose communication with those who undermine your faith in yourself. Find examples of other people's success stories that inspire you. Remember that while you are surrounded by positively minded people who believe in themselves, it is easier for you to cope with difficulties.