“I’m from Kharkiv, Ukraine’s second-biggest city, 40km from the Russian border. Two weeks before the war began, I went to Mexico to see a friend. Being away from those you love in such a terrible time is hard. There is constant bombing where my parents live. At first I felt hopeless. Sometimes I still feel guilty that they see horror while I see a peaceful sky. But I realised that I can give them my best support even from another continent. Knowing you are not alone helps a lot.”
Instagram @olga.shtonda
“War has a catastrophic effect on the health and well being of nations. Studies have shown that conflict situations cause more mortality and disability than any major disease. War destroys communities and families and often disrupts the development of the social and economic fabric of nations. The effects of war include long-term physical and psychological harm to children and adults, as well as reduction in material and human capital. Death as a result of wars is simply the “tip of the iceberg”. Other consequences, besides death, are not well documented. They include endemic poverty, malnutrition, disability, economic/ social decline and psychosocial illness, to mention only a few. Only through a greater understanding of conflicts and the myriad of mental health problems that arise from them, coherent and effective strategies for dealing with such problems can be developed.”
More on Mental health consequences of war: a brief review of research findings via World Psychiatry.
See “Art from a Nation under Attack” via The New Statesmen.
UBC Family Practice Residency Program: Abbotsford-Mission Site 