Fear, panic flashbacks. Why psychologists call for a ban on fireworks in Ukraine
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Recently, there have been discussions in the Ukrainian parliament regarding the ban on fireworks and firecrackers. The seemingly urgent initiative of the “Humane Country” MFI and UAnimals faces the misunderstanding of the deputies, for whom the pyrotechnic business and “celebratory mood” obscures the objective reality of the country, for which PTSD is becoming a bitter commonplace. If you have ever been in the zone of missile fire, heard explosions, anti-aircraft fire, shots, then during the next few hours or even days you will overreact to any loud sound: whether it is a toaster unexpectedly working, or something heavy falling on a neighbor’s apartment upstairs. Before the realization comes that there is no anxiety and you are relatively safe, your body and brain will react and reflexively “gift” you a portion of the cocktail of stress hormones. In our body, everything is logical and simple: faced with a threat, the body learns to prevent danger in the future in order to increase the chances of survival. “Save yourself!” – he tells us at such moments. If this experience is not regular, then in conditions of safety and peace, most of it will pass in a few days or weeks. However, there are exceptions. But if the shelling is long, continuous, if a person lives in dangerous conditions for months, his body begins to adapt to this reality. And as soon as she returns to normal life, the reverse process starts: the body learns to live in safety again. Processing and release from the traumatic experience that people and animals who have returned from places of active hostilities go through requires time, and often psychological support and medical care. However, community understanding and support are also important. Now society is reevaluating some things that in peacetime, until 2014, were absolutely acceptable. Fireworks and firecrackers, an exciting spectacle that used to accompany the holidays, are now perceived by many civilians and military as the sounds of explosions, danger or a direct threat to life. For someone, each festive volley is a trigger that activates the corresponding areas of the brain and triggers reactions of fear, panic, and in some cases brings up scary memories (flashbacks). All this causes mental wounds and slows down healing. Unfortunately, this perception of the sounds of firecrackers and salutes will remain with many for many years and will not end on the day of our victory. Therefore, we must revise our approaches to celebrations and expressions of joy. I am a mental health professional and I know that we as a society cannot protect everyone from all reminders of traumatic experiences. But we are definitely able to let go of the most obvious triggers of pain and fear, especially when these things are not something that is extremely important in our lives. Ukrainians can celebrate holidays without firecrackers and fireworks. And in this we can be helped by the adoption of draft law No. 7438 “On amendments to some legislative acts of Ukraine regarding the use and circulation of pyrotechnic products”. It has already passed the first reading and should be put to a vote in the second reading in the near future. Currently, local bans provide for responsibility for launching fireworks, but in most cases it is extremely difficult to arrest violators. Therefore, the draft law also prohibits the sale of fireworks and firecrackers. It is important to note that this ban does not apply to special pyrotechnics used by the army, police and other authorities. So we learn to celebrate with care for those who are next to us! Valeria Paliy, candidate of psychological sciences, president of the National Psychological Association, specially for UP.Zhyttia Publications in the “View” section are not editorial articles and reflect exclusively the point of view of the author. Read also: Why Ukraine should abandon fireworks
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