THE MENTAL HEALTH TOLL OF THE WAR
No one knows how long this war will last. Some predict this conflict could go on for years, while others, like President Zelensky - say that with proper assistance from the West, the war could be over by the summer.
When Pastor Sasha (a regular contributor to HART Updates) is asked about this, he says, "My answer is simply this – everything could happen – bad or good. We want to believe in good developments for Ukraine. I see people who want to believe... that the Russian army is getting weaker; that Putin is sick and will die soon; that new mobilizations in Russia are not successful, etc. That is what we want to believe, but I think that rosy picture is far from reality. The only thing I know for sure – Russia wants to occupy as much Ukrainian territory as possible, and they want to destroy as much Ukrainian heritage and identity as possible."
Pastor Sasha then brings up a subject not often discussed. He continues, "The real issue of my concern is the emotional and psychological state of most Ukrainian people. We see all kinds of disorders – anxiety; insomnia; emotional breakdowns; conflicts; family issues and divorces (among Christians); depression; conflicts; people with PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder) etc. Among my close friends, I have three couples in the process of divorce.
Sasha continues, "I was listening to the radio when traveling and heard a program on emotional health. They listed 15 signs indicating a person has issues and needs some help. I counted like 5-6 signs I have myself!
We’re a nation of wounded people, and this will be with us for years to come. People are trying to deal with issues they don’t understand. The situation requires actions – good Christian literature and good spiritual counselors are very much needed, but unfortunately, we have had many ministers who fled Ukraine."
For us at HART, where reaching children/youth is at the core of our ministry, we need to be cognizant that children are particularly vulnerable to the psychological effects of war and are at increased risk for mental health issues such as anxiety, depression, and behavioral problems.
HART will be facing enormous challenges as we go forward. We desperately need our HART community to keep our ministry, programs, and projects in prayer in the coming years. How we can best serve the National Church - for God's glory - will always be our True North.
The war is horrific and tragic, and regardless of how long it will go on, we sincerely praise God for the extraordinary opportunities He has given HART over the past year to serve the Church and people of Ukraine and look forward to what He is planning for us in 2023.
When Pastor Sasha (a regular contributor to HART Updates) is asked about this, he says, "My answer is simply this – everything could happen – bad or good. We want to believe in good developments for Ukraine. I see people who want to believe... that the Russian army is getting weaker; that Putin is sick and will die soon; that new mobilizations in Russia are not successful, etc. That is what we want to believe, but I think that rosy picture is far from reality. The only thing I know for sure – Russia wants to occupy as much Ukrainian territory as possible, and they want to destroy as much Ukrainian heritage and identity as possible."
Pastor Sasha then brings up a subject not often discussed. He continues, "The real issue of my concern is the emotional and psychological state of most Ukrainian people. We see all kinds of disorders – anxiety; insomnia; emotional breakdowns; conflicts; family issues and divorces (among Christians); depression; conflicts; people with PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder) etc. Among my close friends, I have three couples in the process of divorce.
Sasha continues, "I was listening to the radio when traveling and heard a program on emotional health. They listed 15 signs indicating a person has issues and needs some help. I counted like 5-6 signs I have myself!
We’re a nation of wounded people, and this will be with us for years to come. People are trying to deal with issues they don’t understand. The situation requires actions – good Christian literature and good spiritual counselors are very much needed, but unfortunately, we have had many ministers who fled Ukraine."
For us at HART, where reaching children/youth is at the core of our ministry, we need to be cognizant that children are particularly vulnerable to the psychological effects of war and are at increased risk for mental health issues such as anxiety, depression, and behavioral problems.
HART will be facing enormous challenges as we go forward. We desperately need our HART community to keep our ministry, programs, and projects in prayer in the coming years. How we can best serve the National Church - for God's glory - will always be our True North.
The war is horrific and tragic, and regardless of how long it will go on, we sincerely praise God for the extraordinary opportunities He has given HART over the past year to serve the Church and people of Ukraine and look forward to what He is planning for us in 2023.
Click to close