Psychologists of the center of PD and PPV held a preventive event with servicemen of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, NGU on the topic: "What to do with emotions during war?" Diary of emotions".

Fear, anger and anxiety, pain, disgust and despair, as well as confusion, powerlessness, shame, guilt, apathy and sadness, joy, excitement - all these emotions are normal to feel in this abnormal situation that we have now. And no matter how many times we talk about it, it is important for us to understand and accept our emotions. This will reduce the risk of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and save our psyche. During war, negative emotions become fear, anger, powerlessness, and guilt. They are capable of many things, so it is worth getting to know them better.

Fear is a natural reaction to circumstances. It is normal to be afraid during wartime. Fear mobilizes our resources to act as efficiently as possible in times of danger. Anxiety, excitement, horror, panic - this is what the sticky wave of fear that grows looks like, and it is important not to let it swallow us completely.

What to do?

- Take three deep inhalations and exhalations, put your feet on the floor and alternately transfer your weight first to the left leg, then to the right. It may seem strange when there are explosions and sirens all around, but you just need to feel your body and calm down.

- Watch your breathing so that your exhalation is longer than your inhalation.

- Take any familiar object in your hands and try to focus your attention on the feeling in your hands.

Impotence. In times of war, people can also feel powerless, which is revealed in the fact that it is so easy for us to be a small person and it is not easy at all to get rid of it.

What to do?

- Write a list of what you did today. Even if you can't do much, it's important for you to notice what you do. This is the valuable art of small steps.

- List your skills, abilities, diplomas or certificates. Remember your achievements and what you did best.

Malice. Irritation, anger, anger and rage are all different faces of the same feeling, familiar to everyone. We can fear him because we do not know how to deal with him. We were told that aggressiveness is harmful and dangerous, that people suffer from it. Anger is useful if we manage to find a suitable form for it. Then it will protect us, not attack.

What to do?

- Find the true source of your anger. It is better to write the simplest angry letter in which you can not choose words. Do any physical activity. The more and more actively you load yourself, the better.

Fault. "I went for nothing", "Well, why didn't I go earlier?", "How could I stay?", "I didn't manage, I'm to blame." Toxic wine eats away at us from the inside, depriving us of the ability to move on and soberly assess our own needs, opportunities and resources. During war, no one knows which decisions are correct and which will be the best. There can be no one-size-fits-all answer here. We lose the usual basic rules of behavior and often scold ourselves for all the deeds we have done, we lose our criticality. So that the feeling of guilt does not paralyze us, it is worth remembering a few simple truths:

- Everything you do is right, and no one is allowed to judge you until another person crosses your path. Everyone has the right to make mistakes, even the best of us. Having recognized it, we will get a chance to correct it.

- Our emotions are the main regulators of our mental life. It is important to notice and understand them in order to better manage your life regardless of what is happening around you. We cannot choose the emotions we want to experience. But we can choose how to treat these emotions, whether to find a place for them in our lives and how to act further.

- People who appear balanced do not actually control and suppress their emotions, on the contrary, they allow them to be, notice them and have the skill to breathe in and out between emotion and reaction, thanks to which they have time to decide what exactly to do with it, because emotion - this is just the beginning. Ask yourself questions and analyze why you need this emotion now, what can it motivate you to do? What do you want to do first?

- Do you think that you will not succeed? It will be much easier to cope if we remember that emotions are temporary and most of them disappear within 10-15 minutes on average. Therefore, if you feel that you cannot cope at all, for example, with anger, try doing something for 15 minutes: listen to music, draw, or walk around the house. Maybe after that your view of the situation will change.

The war took a toll on our psyche, forcing everyone to experience colossal stress. We learn more about ourselves than ever before, look at our strengths in a new way and get to know what scares us. But no matter what we feel, it does not cancel our features, does not make us a different person and does not cross out all the good things that we have.

                                

 Diary of feelings and emotions

A diary of emotions and feelings is a technique that helps you track your emotional state in order to better understand and control yourself. The diary helps to track your emotions and feelings during the day, to analyze which of them occur most often and prevail over others. Allows you to see what exactly leads to the emergence of certain feelings. Shows what situations from the past life affect the emotional state now. Gives an opportunity to work on oneself in the right direction. You can see in time who is trying to manipulate you, and you can stop these attempts. When you keep a diary of feelings and emotions, you will learn to look at your behavior from the side, to see the true motives of your actions.

How to properly keep a diary of emotions?

1. You need a notebook or notebook. If possible, carry them with you to immediately record the emotions you have. You can make recordings on the phone or with the help of a voice recorder. You can also use special computer programs that are easy to download on the Internet.

2. Record regularly, at the same time. This can be done in the evening or during the day as they appear. A good option is several times a day. Just divide it into parts, let's say morning, lunch, evening.

3. It is difficult to describe all the feelings and emotions that you feel during the day. It is also almost impossible to remember them. Therefore, write about what deserves attention.

4. Find a listener. If possible, have someone you trust with you to discuss your notes with.

5. Do not write down only positive or negative emotions. Do not divide them into good and bad. Write down everything you feel.

Also analyze your entries in the emotion diary. Reread the notes a couple of times a month. This will help you understand what is happening in your life, whether it can be changed now and whether it is necessary.

No matter how much we would like to, we cannot cancel the war, but we can certainly not surrender our emotions, our choices and at the same time our lives to it. Listen to yourself, trust yourself, your body and your psyche. Take care of yourself and your loved ones, because we are Ukraine.