In Ukraine, almost 30 thousand people have already been diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) . The Ministry of Health explained the signs of PTSD and who to contact with such a diagnosis.
Details
As of the end of June 2024, 27,544 Ukrainians diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) were registered in the Electronic Healthcare System. Of these, 8,888 people were diagnosed in 2024
The ministry explains that people can react differently to a traumatic event.
Most people will feel better over time and the symptoms of the stress response will subside. For those who continue to experience intense emotions, anxious thoughts, and other symptoms as a result of the traumatic experience, post-traumatic stress disorder may be diagnosed.
How to recognize the signs of PTSD
Symptoms of the disorder may appear shortly or long after the traumatic event, usually within the first three months. People with PTSD may be bothered by intense, disturbing thoughts and feelings related to the traumatic event that continue long after the event has ended
Such people can:
- relive the event through memories and/or nightmares;
- feel sad, afraid or angry, alienated from other people;
- avoid situations or people that remind you of the traumatic event;
- have a strong negative reaction to ordinary things, such as a loud sound or an accidental touch.
Experts reassure us that PTSD is mostly curable and successfully resolves in most patients.
And yet, it can cause a number of physical and mental disorders, suffering, as well as conflicts and difficulties in communication.
Who to contact for PTSD treatment
The first person to contact if you have signs of PTSD is a family doctor in a medical facility that has an agreement with the NHSU for the package “Support and treatment of adults and children with mental disorders at the primary level of medical care”
They also noted that currently, about 11,500 primary care physicians at more than 3,670 locations throughout Ukraine provide mental health care.
You can find such specialists on the NHSU website, on the dashboard “Providers of medical care in the field of Psychological and Psychiatric Care” (among the filters on the left, select the type of care “Primary”). Or ask the operators of the NHSU contact center by calling 16-77.
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