Resilience in War: How the Psyche Survives Trauma

Created: 03/07/2022Updated: 03/07/2022 15:24

By: Judith Brown

War can severely traumatize people.

(Iconic image) © gualtiero boffi/IMAGO

Anyone who experiences war can suffer from severe trauma.

In addition to individual resilience, other factors can strengthen the psyche in crisis situations.

Kyiv – When Ukrainians woke up in the morning on Friday, February 24, 2022, their lives were suddenly different.

Russian President Vladimir Putin began his invasion of the Eastern European country.

Since then, Ukraine has been at war with Russia.

Rockets explode before the eyes of the civilians, houses and even hospitals are destroyed.

Soldiers shoot at each other.

These are images and experiences that are burned into people's minds and souls - and they will find it difficult or perhaps impossible to let them go.

When people have to experience war, the psyche suffers immensely.

In Germany, people who are afraid of war can seek help*.

Nevertheless, the soul can also overcome such traumas.

Individual resilience plays an important role in this.

There are sometimes certain strategies to deal with crises better*.

Since more and more refugees from the Ukraine are coming to Germany, it is all the more important to know what the psyche of these people needs most.

Resilience in War: How the Psyche Can Survive Trauma

War is one of the worst experiences that people can make and experience in this world.

It means maximum stress, which can subsequently leave behind bad trauma.

The consequences of such experiences are often depression, which is often played down in one sentence*, post-traumatic stress disorders, alcohol abuse or anxiety.

But there are also cases in which people recover mentally from such experiences.

In addition to personal resilience, other factors also play an important role.

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Resilience: What is it exactly?

The investigation of resilience by scientists is not yet fully completed.

According to "Geo Magazin", however, research is already certain that it is a complex psychological mechanism consisting of several factors.

However, not all of them are fully known.

According to the previous scientific definition, resilient people are able to maintain their mental health during difficult phases or to regain and stabilize it soon afterwards.

One could also say that these people are hardly thrown off course.

They learn to deal with and cope with even the worst blows of fate.

Trauma and mental illness after war: Several factors can make the soul ill

Not only the inner resilience contributes to the development and processing of trauma.

The following factors also play an important role:

• – Duration and extent of the war: If the Ukraine war lasts longer and even – as some experts fear – turns out to be more brutal, this could have an impact on the stress experienced by the population.

  And thus directly lead to worse psychological consequences for those affected.

  Rita Rosner, professor of clinical and biological psychology at the University of Eichstätt, confirms to "Zeit Online" that both the duration and the extent of a war can increase the risk of traumatic experiences.

• – Personal trauma burden: According to the stress and trauma researcher Iris-Tatjana Kolassa, trauma burden means “the number of terrible events and the extent of mental self-abandonment experienced during the trauma”.

  According to the scientist, it is a decisive factor in whether someone later becomes physically or mentally ill.

  For example, if Ukrainian refugees were able to flee abroad early, they did not have to experience first-hand the terrible extent of the ongoing war.

  Then it can be less traumatic for the psyche than having to watch murder and manslaughter up close.

  Threats to one's own physical integrity or that of a loved one can have a particularly devastating effect on the soul.

• – Are children or adults affected: In contrast to adults, children are more vulnerable and helpless in war*.

  According to Areej Zindler, head of a refugee clinic in Hamburg, trust and security are “of existential importance” for her.

  Seeing their parents injured or bleeding can be traumatic for the children.

  In war, the little ones also experience a loss of control and powerlessness, for example when they suddenly have to flee with their parents.

  Adults have more room for maneuver here, by organizing their family's escape or helping others.

  This action can give you back some of the feeling of control.

Ukraine war: What does a refugee's psyche need?

According to information from Filippo Grandi, head of the UN refugee agency, more than 1.5 million people (as of March 6) have already fled to other countries since the beginning of the war while the war in Ukraine is raging on.

In Germany, too, the number of those who had to leave their homeland and are now seeking protection is growing.

The willingness to support the refugees is great.

But what do these people need now in particular to restore or stabilize their mental health?

Ukraine war: Refugees need social support

Social support can influence and strengthen the protection of the soul.

If those affected have the opportunity to talk to others about what they have experienced and to share their suffering, this can weaken long-term and negative effects on the psyche, according to the psychologist and expert on trauma disorders, Andreas Maercker.

In addition to attention, compassion and sympathy, the soul above all needs the feeling of being welcome.

Protecting Refugee Mental Health: Structure, Routines, and Tasks

Structure and routines are particularly important in such crisis situations.

Children should be able to follow a fixed daily schedule.

People in refugee homes also need a task that they can pursue to distract themselves.

From their own experiences and the images of the war that they are continually presented with on their smartphones, for example in social networks.

In the worst case, this can lead to further traumatisation.

Healthy and fresh food, exercise, going for walks in nature or singing can also be helpful.

Psychotherapy can also help to process and overcome traumatic experiences.

In Germany there are several ways to get a therapy place*.

Ultimately, however, this destiny will always be and remain a part of life.

Instead of suppressing it, those affected should be supported in integrating it into their lives.

This article only contains general information on the respective health topic and is therefore not intended for self-diagnosis, treatment or medication.

In no way does it replace a visit to the doctor.

Unfortunately, our editors are not allowed to answer individual questions about clinical pictures.