Fear of the war in Ukraine, how can you solve it?

[pieter]

Fear of the war in Ukraine, how can you solve it?


The Kindetelefoon, the help line for childeren is busy in the Netherlands with a lot of children who are worried and afraid for the war

The border of Ukraine is about 1,400 kilometers away from the Netherlands, but here too there is fear of the consequences of the war. People express their concerns on social media and the Kindertelefoon (Children's phone) is also busy. There are people who stock up on emergency kits and body armor and helmets at army stores.

The Kindertelefoon is a Dutch telephone helpline for children, to which children and young people up to the age of 18 who need a conversation about any subject can call for free. They can also chat with the Kindertelefoon or post a topic on the forum, where other young people (under the watchful eye of a moderation team) provide answers or advice to their questions. Children and young people can contact De Kindertelefoon about any questions or problems they would like to receive information, advice or support with.

The Kindertelefoon has been in existence since 1979 and its right to exist is anchored in the Youth Care Act. The Kindertelefoon was originally part of the Youth Care Agency, but on 1 January 2015 it became an independent foundation after the Youth Care transition. More than 400,000 calls are made each year via this telephone helpline. The people on the phone are volunteers who are following or have followed an appropriate HBO/university education and who have also undergone extensive internal training.

"At my house we also sleep little and badly because of the war in Ukraine," writes a man on Twitter. And he's not the only one with such problems. According to trauma psychologist Kaz de Jong, it is therefore good to change your mind every now and then.

De Jong understands the fear that some people have. The war is closer than we are used to and that does something to people, he says.

In the article below, he shares tips to get rid of feelings of anxiety:

[pieter]

Fear of the war in Ukraine, how can you solve it?



Mental aid organizations such as MIND are also busy. There an inventory is made of the topics that come up in conversations. The war in Ukraine is number 1 in the top-5, says manager Vincent Vis. Also at Everything OK? - a support line for young adults - more questions are coming in on the subject.

Not only adults are afraid, but children too. The Kindertelefoon sees a significant increase in the number of conversations about world news. Before this war it was two calls a day, now there are forty. "It makes children very restless," says Roline de Wilde, director of the Kindertelefoon. "Their fears consist of fighting with nuclear weapons and that the war is moving to the Netherlands."

How to deal with fear of war?

According to De Wilde, children mainly need reassurance and explanation. She advises parents to think for themselves first how they feel about the war. Children often experience more of this than is thought. Then it is good to ask what your child is struggling with and what he needs. "Does he or she want additional information? Then look for it together," says De Wilde.

It may also be that there is less need for information. According to trauma psychologist De Jong, at such a moment it is good for all ages to watch the news or to look at violent images less.

What are red flags?



Trauma psychologist Kaz de Jong says there are a number of warning signs that your fear of war can affect your mental health:

- Keeping the war busy in your mind
- Scared easily or constantly feeling restless
- Bad sleep and heavy dreams
- Feeling anxious or sad often
- You withdraw

What can you do against the fear?



- Make a list of what you can do when the war comes to the Netherlands
- The control then returns, and you close the topic when the list is ready
- Find distraction. For example by watching a series that is not about war
- Do not look up images or news that confirm your fear
- Speak to yourself. In the sense of: "I'm safe, this is not my story"
- Avoid (too many) images and news about the war
- Talk to people about what you feel

According to De Jong, people with a war history are extra vulnerable. They need to realize that they are vulnerable in these kinds of situations. That is why it is wise to avoid images as much as possible. "They often linger longer and evoke experiences." When there is fear that determines life, professional help should be sought. "There are many possibilities and the earlier you seek help, the less you suffer."

[karl]

Pieter

An excellent presentation of the reality of fear. For these young people in as well as adults, are subject to such fear rather spoken or not. For these people have lived their entire lives of each day an expectation of safety and a world that never changes. For then when such situations due arise, very few of these people are prepared to absorb the shock of such events as we are at present witnessing.

Karl

[Jaga]

I was just watching Polish news. They say that the situation in Poland for the refugees is often dramatic since there is so many people and there is not a central system of help.
Referring to Russia - one of the solutions assumes that Ukraine would agree to give Russia these two autonomic regions... and hope that then Russia would withdraw and Ukraine would join NATO, so Russia cannot take over Ukraine piece after piece.