Adolescent mental health during war: challenges and ways to support
On the occasion of World Adolescent Mental Health Day, we want to talk frankly about what concerns each of us, namely: how to maintain our inner peace and balance.
Living with air raids, shelling, and power outages is a real challenge for the psyche. And you know what? Feeling anxious, afraid, or tired in such conditions is absolutely normal!
In this article, we will share practical tips on how to maintain your mental health and find strength and joy even in the most difficult times 🤗
What happens to our psyche during war?
Constant stress and uncertainty have a strong impact on our brain. It’s like a smartphone that constantly runs in power-saving mode — it turns off “unnecessary” functions to focus on the main thing. So your psyche is now redistributing resources to help you cope with stress. If you notice that you:
- It's hard to focus on studying 📚
- It's hard to fall asleep or you wake up in the middle of the night 💤
- You get annoyed over little things ⚡
- Feeling apathetic or not feeling emotions at all 😶
... don't worry, because this is a completely normal reaction of the body!
How to support yourself every day?
- Allow yourself all emotions: Anger, fear, sadness — they all have a right to exist, it’s important to be able to experience them. You can write your thoughts in a diary or just say them out loud 📝
- Create small islands of safety: watch movies and TV series, create a cozy corner with soft pillows, do puzzles or color 🏝️
- Practice breathing exercises: Take a deep breath for 4 counts, hold your breath for 4, and breathe out for 6 counts. Repeat 5-10 times when you feel anxious 🌬️
- Move as much as you can and wherever you can: Even 10 minutes of dancing to your favorite song helps release tension from your body 💃
- Chat with friends offline: Yes, we're all used to texting, but live communication gives a sense of connection and support that cannot be replaced 👥
When should you seek help?
We often think we can figure out what's going on in our heads on our own. But sometimes our emotions are too strong to overcome on our own.
You're not ashamed to go to the doctor when you have a toothache, are you? The same goes for a psychologist - he's a professional who can help you find solutions that you can't see yet. If you notice that:
- Anxiety prevents you from living normally
- Thoughts appeared that life has no meaning
- You often feel helpless.
- You abuse illegal substances to “muffle” your feelings.
...these are signals that you need professional support. Remember that asking for help is a sign of strength, not weakness 💪
Where to look for support?
In the safe space for teenagers, the Place of Strength, you will find support from qualified psychologists. There is an atmosphere of understanding, trust and safety, where you can gain energy, make new friends and finally breathe.
We hold discussion clubs where you can talk about everything that worries you, creative classes where emotions pour out into colors and shapes, body therapy that helps you get rid of tension. As well as therapeutic courses that will help you deal with your emotions and master self-support tools.
Look for classes in schedule on the website, and also follow our Instagram pageto stay up to date with all the events. See you at the Place of Power!
