On the frontlines of the war between Ukrainians and pro-Russian separatists, dogs help fighters overcome post-traumatic stress.
- The war between Ukrainians and pro-Russian separatists has already claimed more than 13,000 lives
- Ukrainians use dogs to soothe soldiers suffering from post-traumatic stress
For six years, eastern Ukraine has been the scene of a war that has claimed more than 13,000 lives with pro-Russian separatists. In all, more than half a million people have served in the ranks of the Ukrainian army or continue to do so. In Ukraine, one of the poorest countries in Europe, mental health, still taboo, takes a back seat. “The state is doing something positive” corn “systemic efforts are lacking”says Rodion Grigorian, a psychologist who volunteers with the military.
Very real post-traumatic stress
To help soldiers at the front, canine therapy is gaining ground. “It is perhaps the best tranquilizer”, confides Vassyl, a sergeant wounded on the front and hospitalized for more than a month, to AFP. Ever since he met Ricky, his “service dog” as is written on the animal’s harness, he has regained his smile and is playing with him in a hallway of the main military hospital in the country. “These are dogs that do not react aggressively to aggression from others” and who are “absolutely obedient”described to AFP Natalia Tchouproun, owner of Ricky, who has been involved in the project for four years.
Essential support for soldiers whose mental health is not necessarily taken into consideration. Nearly half of Ukrainian soldiers say they are victims of discrimination in civilian life and more than a third feel “isolated”, according to a recent study. However, the risks associated with post-traumatic stress are not negligible. Insomnia, addictive behavior, depression and suicidal thoughts are among the consequences. The head of the parliamentary committee for the affairs of Ukrainian veterans estimated in 2018 at more than a thousand the number of suicides among ex-combatants since the beginning of the conflict.
Dogs, “a bridge between humans and specialists”
“Friend of a Hero” is the name of the program that soldiers have benefited from since its launch in 2015. This program was started with the help of Canadian dog trainers who trained the dogs, like Ricky. Since then, more than a thousand soldiers have benefited from canine therapy, indicated the coordinator, Olga Smirnova, who counts about twenty dogs who participate in the program. Important support for Ukrainian soldiers whose situation divides society. For some, they arehero” but others blame them for a comfortable life at the expense of civilians because of the significant increase in their salaries since the start of the conflict.
These dogs act on patients by becoming “a bridge between humans and the specialists who take care of them: psychologists, re-educators”, decrypts Natalia Tchouproun. The young woman recounts an episode where Ricky lay down near a fighter who had a panic attack and who relaxed thanks to the presence of the animal. Viktoria, a psychologist from the Kiev military hospital, notes “reduction of anxiety, depression and improvement of sleep” at the house of “more than half” of his patients.
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