Mental Health Day: How war in Ukraine is causing psychological trauma for millions of people
While it is understandably the death in Russia's war in Ukraine that normally grabs headlines, today the plight of those living amid the bloodshed is being put under the spotlight.
Writing for Euronews to mark Mental Health Day on 10 October, health chiefs say the psychological trauma of the violence is unprecedented since World War II.
"Almost 10 million people at the present time are potentially at risk of mental disorders such as acute stress, anxiety, depression, substance use, and post-traumatic stress disorder or PTSD," writes Dr Hans Kluge, head of the World Health Organization's Europe region.
"The greatest needs are in areas the most severely impacted by the conflict, but populations in relatively safer parts of the country are also affected by anxiety or sadness, difficulty sleeping, fatigue, anger and unexplained somatic symptoms.
"These are all normal reactions to abnormal situations and, for most people, these symptoms do improve over time, especially if they can meet their basic needs and access social support – a challenge at this time."
At least 6,114 civilians have been killed in the war, including 390 children, according to the latest estimates of the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR).
Around 7.6 million refugees have left Ukraine, while a further 7 million have been displaced within the country.
Alla is among the latter category and has been receiving mental health support from Médecins Sans Frontières.
She finally managed to flee Kherson -- a city in southern Ukraine under Russian occupation since the early days of the war -- after several attempts.
“There was shelling every minute, every second – day and night. Every missile was a roll of the dice, they hit places randomly and
Read more on euronews.com
