RESILIENCE AS A FACTOR IN OVERCOMING POST-TRAUMATIC STRESS DISORDER IN WAR CONDITIONS

Abstract

The article examines the phenomenon of resilience as a strategic psychological resource and a factor in overcoming post-traumatic stress disorder in the context of the war in Ukraine. Theoretical analysis covers classical concepts of stress and modern approaches to understanding resilience as a dynamic process that combines cognitive, emotional-regulatory, behavioral, and social resources of the individual, ensuring their adaptation and recovery in crisis conditions. The mechanisms that ensure the functioning of this resource in conditions of prolonged military stress are identified and described. The symptoms of PTSD and its prevalence among the military personnel, internally displaced persons, and the civilian population of Ukraine are outlined. The leading risk factors (intensity and duration of traumatic exposure, social isolation, loss of loved ones, presence of previous mental disorders) and protective factors (social support, spirituality and religiosity, national identity, professional psychological assistance) that influence the development and course of PTSD are described. It has been established that resilience not only serves as a psychological buffer that reduces the risk of developing PTSD, but also forms the basis for post-traumatic personal growth. Particular attention is paid to psychotherapeutic interventions: cognitive-behavioral therapy, eye movement desensitization and trauma processing (EMDR), narrative practices, art therapy, body-oriented methods, and mindfulness approaches, which have proven their effectiveness in dealing with the consequences of psychotraumatic experiences. The need to create a multi-level system of psychological and social support is emphasized, which will not only help reduce the negative mental consequences of war, but also ensure the restoration of individual subjectivity, strengthening its adaptive potential, and strengthening national psychological resilience.