RECOMMENDATIONS FOR INFORMATION PSYCHOHYGIENE

The year 2022, for which many of us had pinned so many hopes, to put it mildly, has not lived up to our expectations...
         Having started with a local regional conflict in our country, it has turned into a global political and economic crisis that has already affected almost all aspects of life of many people in Europe and Asia...
         Staying aside, being indifferent to what is happening is no longer an option, because most Kazakhstanis have close relatives, friends and relatives in these conflicts, from both sides... Moreover, for the older generation, this is essentially a war in a once united country, a war between two brotherly peoples.
         If there is a problem, it should not be glossed over, it must be solved. How? That is the choice of each individual. He is entitled to it and his choice should be respected, even if you deeply disagree with him!
It is clear that the global forces of most civilized countries of the world are now involved in these conflicts, and it is not possible to solve all the problems by one person...
But, at your personal, individual level, there are mechanisms and ways to preserve psychological health and get out of this difficult situation, preserving human dignity.
 The simplest recommendations for behavior in this situation can be formulated as follows:
1. any war will end.2. Every nation is made up of different people. Not everyone is involved in the war - you shouldn't insult everyone.3. Politicians will agree, and you will be left with the slop you poured on "your ideological opponents."4. In times of war, EVERYONE lies. Don't spread information you're not 101% sure of the truth of (or can't verify). If you want to write something, write only about what you have seen with your own eyes. That's honest. The rest is participating in a lie.5. If you want to say what you think about politics, say it, and you don't have to insult anyone.6. You do not like the opinion of another person, but you really want to speak out - speak out about this opinion, not about this person, because most often you do not know him personally.7. Hating people you don't know is pathological.8. Relationships between people are complicated, even at the family or workplace level. It's even more complicated between states. Everything is simple and understandable only to fools. Don't jump to conclusions - don't be a fool.9. Always remain Human and remember point 1.
         But each person is different, each of us experiences problems in his own way and if your psycho-emotional state has changed, you have become more irritable, conflictive, aggressive, there were disorders of sleep-wake mode, there were problems with eating behavior, in this case you should go to a specialist.
         The easiest way to do this will be in the clinic in the community, seeking professional help from a psychologist of the office of psychological counseling in crisis situations or specialists of the primary mental health center (doctors: psychiatrist, substance abuse specialist, psychologist). These appeals will be free of charge and anonymous. In addition, our city's Mental Health Center has free hotlines: 8-715-2-34-05-00 and 8-771-029-28-99.
Some advice on information psychohygiene in a situation of global conflict:
The most unhelpful thing you can hear in such a situation is advice along the lines of "get up and stop being afraid. But you can't just stop being afraid. It doesn't work that way. If anything can help, it's self-regulation techniques and an understanding of how to handle your own emotions.
To reduce anxiety, it is necessary to unload the psyche from unnecessary matters, leaving only the most necessary ones. The body needs to recover, and even if you think you can handle the situation, anxiety tends to accumulate, and lead to a panic attack at the most inopportune moment.
Maximize the unloading of your day. If the day is intense, then make sure that things are planned in advance in order, and focus only on your area of responsibility. Do not take too much on yourself, and if in normal life you would tend to help others, now give more attention to yourself and do not forget to dress comfortably and eat delicious food.
Avoid noisy idle talk aimed at expressing your opinion, which in fact now does not solve anything. Cut off any attacks on your peace of mind as soon as you see that the person wants to dump their bad mood on you or vent their anxiety on you.
If it's not your child or a loved one, including a friend or girlfriend, then remember that every adult is responsible for their own state, for the form of their expression, if that form is toxic to you - distance yourself. Don't demand communication skills from yourself in a state of heightened emotionality. Your zone of influence here is to take care of your own condition and create a way for yourself to come to your senses.
The worst thing in this situation is that in a period of global upheaval, the closest, dearest and dearest people - parents, relatives and even children - may be dragged into the conflict voluntarily or involuntarily. I would like to give some recommendations on how to keep peace and understanding in the family:

How to explain to a child what is going on in the world right now:
1. Listen carefully to the question. It is often much narrower than it seems to an adult. Ask clarifying questions. Especially to a teenager: "What do you think?", "Where did this information come from?", "Are you sure it's accurate?", "What's your take on it?"
2. only answer what you know. You don't have to play the know-it-all. You can admit, "I don't know the answer, let's find it together." Now there is basically a situation of uncertainty, but you, as an adult, have a position which you can articulate to the teenager, share your opinion with him.
We give information according to his age. A young child does not need to know the specifics of the world's foreign policy, but you can discuss it with a teenager.
Avoid strong emotions. Answer calmly and with interest. Children need calmness and stability.
If there are young children in the family, it is not good for adults to discuss recent events in their presence - and watch the news. Better play more children's games and hug a child more often, because in the arms of a parent, children feel safe.
- You don't have to discuss these issues with your child in any special way. If he's not interested in the war, you don't have to sit him down at the table and bring it up - but many children now ask about it because they see their parents' anxiety. In such a situation, we definitely talk.
When communicating with teenagers, parents should definitely touch on the safety of participating in rallies and protests.
For help in working with your child, you can turn to the specialists of the psychological service of the educational institution. Nowadays, every school, college and university has a teacher-psychologist.
In communicating with your family and friends, try to use the negative energy of the conflict for "peaceful purposes:
- Respond unappreciatively to the expression of personal opinion,
- Say more often that you love your parents, children, wife (husband), hug and care for them more often. This is more important to them now than ever!
- Remember. Any conflict, any problems will ALWAYS END! AND HOW YOU ARE GOING TO LIVE YOUR LIFE DEPENDS ONLY ON YOU!