[Ryan Robertson]
NIGHT AFTER NIGHT, THE THREAT RETURNS—
AND FOR MILLIONS OF UKRAINIANS, SLEEP DISAPPEARS WITH IT.
DRONE STRIKES ARE A NEAR-CONSTANT PART OF LIFE IN CITIES LIKE KYIV AND DNIPRO.
AND NOW, DOCTORS SAY THE MENTAL TOLL IS DEEPENING—
ASA GROWING NUMBER OF UKRAINIANS ARE TURNING TO MEDICATION JUST TO COPE.
NEARLY HALF OF ALL UKRAINIANS ARE NOW SHOWING SIGNS OF MENTAL HEALTH STRAIN.
THAT’S ACCORDING TO THE WORLD HEALTH ORGANIZATION.
AND SLEEP—OR THE LACK OF IT—IS AT THE CENTER OF THE PROBLEM.
UKRAINIAN OFFICIALS SAY RUSSIA STEPPED UP ITS DRONE ATTACKS—
SENDING SWARMS OF SHAHED-TYPE DRONES INTO CIVILIAN AREAS, OFTEN AT NIGHT.
THE NOISE, EXPLOSIONS, AND REPEATED AIR RAID ALARMS ARE TURNING BEDROOMS INTO SHELTERS—AND HALLWAYS INTO BUNKERS.
THESE DRONES FLY LOW AND LOUD, AND OFTEN COME IN WAVES.
EVEN WHEN AIR DEFENSES INTERCEPT THEM, THE ALERTS STILL SHATTER SLEEP.
MILLIONS OF PEOPLE LIE AWAKE, WAITING FOR THE BUZZING TO STOP.
DOCTORS SAY THIS NIGHTLY DISRUPTION IS BREAKING SLEEP CYCLES AND WEAKENING IMMUNE SYSTEMS.
THEY’RE SEEING MORE CASES OF INSOMNIA, ANXIETY, AND DEPRESSION.
CHILDREN ARE SHOWING SIGNS TOO—TREMORS, FATIGUE, AND A KIND OF FEAR THAT DOESN’T GO AWAY.
AND OVER TIME, RESEARCHERS SAY THE RISKS ONLY GROW.
A 2022 STUDY PUBLISHED IN REVUE NEUROLOGIQUE LINKS CHRONIC SLEEP DEPRIVATION TO PTSD, COGNITIVE DYSFUNCTION, SEIZURES, AND LONG-TERM ILLNESSES LIKE DIABETES AND HEART DISEASE.
IN 2024, ANTIDEPRESSANT SALES IN UKRAINE JUMPED 46%, ACCORDING TO ONE OF THE COUNTRY’S LARGEST DRUG DISTRIBUTORS.
BUT EVEN WITH THAT SPIKE, USAGE STILL TRAILS MUCH OF EUROPE.
A 2023 STUDY FOUND UKRAINIANS WERE USING SOME ANTIDEPRESSANTS UP TO 18 TIMES LESS THAN PEOPLE IN NORWAY.
EXPERTS SAY THAT’S DUE TO STIGMA, COST, AND UNDERDIAGNOSIS.
AND FOR MANY, MEDICAL CARE ISN’T THE FIRST LINE OF DEFENSE—ADAPTATION IS.
SOME FAMILIES SLEEP IN CORRIDORS OR BATHROOMS.
OTHERS KEEP TOURNIQUETS AND MEDICAL KITS BY THE DOOR.
ONE NEUROLOGIST IN KYIV CALLS IT SURVIVAL—WHEN EVACUATION ISN’T AN OPTION.
BUT THE FATIGUE IS BUILDING.
ONE KYIV RESIDENT TOLD UNITED24 MEDIA SHE MOVED HER BED INTO THE HALLWAY
AFTER A DRONE STRIKE IN HER NEIGHBORHOOD KILLED A TEENAGE GIRL.
DOCTORS WARN UNLESS THESE PATTERNS CHANGE,
UKRAINE COULD FACE A LONG WAVE OF PSYCHIATRIC AND NEUROLOGICAL ILLNESS—
ESPECIALLY AMONG CHILDREN, VETERANS, AND REFUGEES.
THE WORLD HEALTH ORGANIZATION SAYS ADDRESSING MENTAL HEALTH DURING WARTIME IS AS URGENT AS PHYSICAL AID—
AND IN UKRAINE, BOTH ARE UNDER STRAIN.
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