THE PSYCHOLOGICAL STATE OF HIGHER EDUCATION STUDENTS DURING THE PERIOD OF MILITARY STATUS

Abstract

The article analyzes the psychological state of higher education students during martial law. It was found that stress is defined as the interaction between the individual and the environment [1]. From the point of view of psychology, stress is a phenomenon of awareness that arises between a demand placed on an individual and his ability to cope with this demand. The lack of balance in this process activates the reaction-response to stress [6]. It is noted that such emotional states as fear, anxiety, pessimism, depression, aggressiveness can act as triggers for the development of stress [11]. In addition, stress arises from the action of a strong stimulus and performs a protective function on the organs and systems of the body and on the human psyche. It is indicated that the long quarantine due to COVID-19, and as a result long-term (chronic) stress, caused communicative deprivation, and against this background, the beginning of military aggression led to a deterioration of the psycho-emotional state, which led to a psychological imbalance [1]. Under these conditions, special attention should be paid to the psychological state of students. Academic stress develops among students due to a significant flow of information, due to changes in the conditions and format of education, stress during exams. Failures in personal life lead to a state of anxiety and emotional tension. The article analyzes the development of stress in medical students during different periods of the introduction of martial law. The analysis of the signs of stress related to its intellectual component, behavioral factor, emotional factor and physiological changes. To analyze the components of stress, the test according to V.Yu. Scherbatykh. As a result of the research, it was established that in the first three months of the war, individuals experience severe stress. During this period, a high level of anxiety, worry, dissatisfaction with life, difficulties in making decisions, and inattention were recorded. Insomnia, nightmares, short-term memory disorders were also a concern. Most of the medical students had a change in eating behavior. Symptoms of a digestive system disorder, increased sweating were noted. 9 months after the start of the war, medical students compared to controls showed a decrease in signs of intellectual, behavioral, emotional and physiological components of stress. If in the first months of the war the factor of unexpectedness, destruction of a stable life structure, fear for one’s life, feeling of guilt, not realizing one’s place in a given situation influenced mainly, then after 9 months the influence of the active stress factor on the body of the interviewees did not decrease, and added new stress factors. It was noted that despite additional stress factors in this period of time, the indicators of stress signs in medical students were an order of magnitude lower than in controls. The period of 9 months is the most dangerous in the development of a stressful situation. It can either remain at the distress stage with the transition to more severe destructive mental disorders, or move to the plateau stage with the activation of the adaptive anti-stress system. Intrusive thoughts, difficulty concentrating, bad dreams, and nightmares remained frequent. It was concluded that we see the prospect of further research in studies of depression in students of various specialties, as well as a more detailed study of the anti-stress adaptation system for the purpose of a deeper analysis of the problem.