The Psychological Toll of Prolonged War
According to World Health Organization, in 2026, 70% of Ukrainians reported significant psychological distress, with figures reaching 76% in frontline areas. This means that nearly everyone is experiencing a serious impact of the war on their mental health.
“The full-scale war in Ukraine has been ongoing for more than four and a half years, and its consequences for the mental health of the population are becoming increasingly evident,” says Anhelina Korchenok, Mental Health and Psychosocial Support Specialist at HI Ukraine. “At the beginning, people sought help mainly due to acute traumatic experiences: loss of home, loved ones, or forced displacement. Today, however, requests are more often linked to accumulated exhaustion. People live in a constantly stressful environment without the possibility of recovery, which leads to a depletion of psychological resources.”
Anxiety, insomnia, trauma…
Behind anxiety or insomnia lies a whole spectrum of life circumstances; each person carries their own story, for some it is the trauma of losing a home, for others the daily fear of sending children to school under air raid alarms, and for many it is the struggle to rebuild life after injury or displacement. Together, these individual experiences form the collective picture of a nation living under relentless psychological pressure.
The situation is particularly difficult in frontline communities, where even after some adaptation, new attacks or house demolitions sharply increase stress levels again.
What HI is doing
HI works with survivors of explosive ordnance, people with disabilities, and internally displaced people, helping them restore not only physical functions but also psychological resilience and social roles. HI and partners bring psychological support associated with physical rehabilitation and social protection services. It also brings assistance to people through home visits and online consultations, especially those unable to reach service centers on their own.
In the meantime, HI strengthens the capacity of local organizations and professionals to ensure help is available within communities.
In 2026, HI trained more than 30 staff members across its partner organizations, and currently maintains two active local partnerships to strengthen community-based MHPSS services in Dnipropetrovsk, Kharkiv, Zaporizhzhia region.
To rebuild one’s life
Anhelina recalls a woman who, after occupation and displacement, received psychosocial support and found the strength to rebuild her life: she secured employment, enrolled her child in kindergarten, and later pursued a degree in psychology. Today, she helps others.
