Where can Ukrainian veterans get psychological support
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Veterans are a special category of citizens who gave their lives to protect their country. Returning to a peaceful life is often accompanied by a number of psychological and social challenges. The crisis support hotline is becoming a vital tool to help veterans and their families overcome these challenges.
After serving in combat, many veterans experience issues such as post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), depression, anxiety, and other mental health disorders. These conditions can lead to problems in the family, alienation from society, problems with adaptation to a peaceful life, as well as suicide. Without adequate support and assistance, veterans can feel useless and misunderstood.
Veterans Crisis Support Lines are an important mechanism for helping those facing psychological and emotional challenges after military service. Psychologists working on these lines play a key role in providing support and assistance.
The role of psychologists:
- psychologists provide psychological first aid to persons seeking support. They know how to determine the degree of crisis and take appropriate measures;
- psychologists provide veterans with an opportunity to express themselves and share their experiences and feelings in a safe environment;
- psychologists help veterans understand their feelings, identify problems and find ways to solve them;
- if needed, psychologists refer veterans to other professionals or services that can provide additional help.
The role of veteran psychologists:
- veteran psychologists have personal experience of serving in the military, so they can better understand and empathize with veterans seeking help;
- veteran psychologists can serve as a bridge between veterans and various support services because they understand both sides;
- due to their experience, veteran psychologists can use specific techniques and approaches that are most effective for veterans;
- veteran psychologists can help other veterans feel part of a community where they are understood and supported.
Many countries understand the importance of supporting veterans and their families after returning from military service. Most of these hotlines work on a similar principle. When a veteran or a member of his family asks for help, he is answered by a specialist – a psychologist or a social worker. This specialist listens, counsels and refers the veteran to appropriate services or programs that can provide additional assistance. Some of these hotlines also use modern technology, such as online chats and text messages, to ensure accessibility and convenience for veterans.
In the USA, there is a specialized hotline for veterans – Veterans Crisis Line. This line is open 24 hours a day and provides counseling and support to veterans facing crisis situations. They use a mixed approach including phone calls, text messages and online chat. In addition, their website has a resource base for veterans and their families.
In the UK there is an organization called Combat Stress which offers a helpline for veterans experiencing mental health problems. This line is open 24/7 and provides counseling to veterans in need. The organization also offers inpatient treatment, outpatient care and other services for veterans.
Canada has the VAC Assistance Service, a hotline for veterans and their families. This service offers counseling with psychologists and social workers, and information about available programs and services for veterans.
International experience shows that hotlines for veterans are an effective means of support. They provide critical assistance to veterans who face psychological and social challenges after returning from military service.
The Ukrainian Veterans Fund, understanding the profound mental challenges faced by veterans after returning from the front, actively involves veteran psychologists in its work. This is not just a professional approach, it is a matter of deep understanding and empathy. Veteran psychologists have personal experience of being in a combat zone, so they intuitively feel the emotional and psychological state of their colleagues. Their shared experience allows for the creation of a strong bond of trust, which becomes key in the rehabilitation process.
Because of their military experience, veteran psychologists can adapt and apply specific psychotherapy techniques that will be most effective for veterans. This sense of belonging they create can be critical for veterans who often feel alienated or misunderstood after returning home.
Veteran psychologists at the Ukrainian Veterans Fund not only understand the psychological needs of veterans, but also have unique experience and skills that allow them to provide effective assistance. This is a strategically important step in supporting veterans and their families, which reflects the foundation’s deep humanitarian approach to solving the current problems of the veteran community.
Crisis support hotline 0 800 33 20 29 of the Ukrainian Veterans Fund has become a recognized quality standard in Ukraine. Our line received an award from MTEC.Rebuild as “The best psychological rehabilitation program for military and civilians”. This recognition confirms the importance and effectiveness of the work of psychologists and the entire foundation team.
During our work, we received more than 17.5 thousand calls from those who were looking for help, advice or just needed to hear a friendly voice.
But we understand that sometimes it takes more than just a phone call, so we’ve created support groups where veterans and their families can meet in person, discuss their concerns, share experiences and get support from like-minded people.
The first such support group was created in August 2022, and since then their number has only grown. These meetings have become a place where everyone can feel part of a larger community, where everyone is understood and supported.
Understanding all the challenges faced by both veterans and their family members, as well as other organizations willing to lend a helping hand, the Ukrainian Veterans Fund has gathered its experience in “A guide for veterans and members of their families within the framework of the system of providing psychological, medical-psychological, psychiatric assistance”.
This collection is a real treasure trove of knowledge that reflects the real needs of veterans, their relatives and loved ones. It is created on the basis of the author’s work of specialists of the line, who have invaluable experience of working in war conditions, as well as adapted materials from international experience.
One of the key parts of the collection is the “Road Map” in the system of providing psychological, medical and psychiatric care. This section helps veterans and their families navigate the many services and organizations that are ready to help.
In addition, the collection contains recommendations developed on the basis of real stories and cases encountered by Hotline specialists. These guidelines reflect best practices for supporting veterans and their families, as well as psychological self-help tips.
Crisis support lines for veterans and their families play a key role in supporting the mental health and well-being of this critical segment of our society. They are a place where veterans can turn to when they need it most, and where their voices will always be heard.
Ruslana Velychko-Trifonyuk, Acting Executive Director of the Ukrainian Veterans’ Fund, specially for UP. Life
Publications in the “View” section are not editorial articles and reflect exclusively the author’s point of view.
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