FEATURES OF PSYCHOLOGICAL ASSISTANCE TO MILITARY PERSONNEL WITH POST-TRAUMATIC STRESS DISORDER

Abstract

The article addresses the pressing scientific issue of providing psychological assistance to military personnel suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), which is one of the most widespread psychological consequences of combat trauma. In the context of armed aggression and Ukraine’s involvement in military operations, the issue of mental health among service members becomes especially acute. The study examines the essence of PTSD as a mental disorder, its pathogenetic mechanisms, key causes, clinical presentation, and characteristic manifestations in service members exposed to combat stress.The influence of PTSD on the personality structure and behavioral responses of military personnel is analyzed, with a focus on common psychological consequences of combat trauma, including anxiety disorders, emotional dysregulation, decreased social functioning, and suicidal tendencies. Within the theoretical framework, various approaches to the psychocorrection of PTSD in military personnel are systematized, including cognitive-behavioral, psychodynamic, humanistic, and integrative models, all of which account for individual characteristics and combat experience. Particular attention is paid to an empirical study of the psycho-emotional state of service members diagnosed with PTSD, including analysis of anxiety, depression, somatization levels, and their perceived needs for psychological support. The empirical findings on the manifestation of PTSD symptoms in military personnel served as the basis for developing targeted methodological recommendations. The article offers practical guidelines for psychologists working with combat veterans, including staged intervention strategies, principles of safe communication, stabilization techniques, and the creation of conditions conducive to effective psychological rehabilitation. The necessity of an interdisciplinary approach to overcoming the consequences of PTSD and the development of a nationwide psychosocial support system for service members is substantiated. The results obtained have both scientific and practical value for improving the system of psychological assistance to military personnel under current conditions.