– Please tell us, what is depression, and what are its symptoms? How can a person understand that he or she is getting depressed?

– If we consider depression as a disease, when a person goes to a psychiatrist rather than a psychologist, the signs are the following. The person just lies in bed, does nothing, and cannot take care of simple things on their own – hygiene, food. In simple terms, this is constant apathy. It is very difficult to get a person out of this state. And usually it is someone close to the person who has to help, to take the person to a doctor who will prescribe medication, including treatment. If we are talking about the problem that psychologists deal with, the signs are slightly different. In particular, a person may have eating disorders – eating to cope with stress or, on the contrary, malnutrition, sleep problems, feel depressed, and lack of energy.

– According to recent studies, has the percentage of people diagnosed with depression increased since the start of the full-scale war?

– I will say more, during the full-scale war, every Ukrainian faced a mild form of depression. Because we don't get enough sleep, we have systemic headaches after regular rocket attacks, we all live in constant anxiety about ourselves, our loved ones, our future. And if you notice signs of depression for two or more weeks, you should consult a specialist.

– Constant anxiety and tension in a time of the war leads to certain consequences – what are they? Which ones do psychologists face and how often do they encounter while working at Opilch HUB?

– First of all, it is anxiety and insomnia, which become systemic. People also often come to us with questions about low self-appraisal. And in general, what happened during the war to all Ukrainians is that we faced a lot of stress, which occupies us completely. That is, we lived our lives, with our routines, with certain traditions. And now the usual routine has changed, we have to adapt to the circumstances, change our traditions and lifestyle. This is mostly what causes depression. Not to mention the losses that people suffer from the war - the death of loved ones, the loss of their homes, occupation, etc. In addition, people have now lost the ability to communicate and be part of society as they used to. Some people have family or friends abroad, others are under occupation, but the need for society does not disappear. At Oplich HUB, they also find an opportunity to communicate with each other.

– What activities, strategies and tools do the psychologists of Oplich HUB use in their work with people who have depression or its signs?

– We try to create a comprehensive approach to solving certain problems. I personally conduct individual consultations for adults and families. Usually, in our work, we try to analyse a person's condition as deeply as possible and give them the tools to work through this condition. During the consultations, I have a different approach to each person, everything is individual. Everyone has their own request and needs. The hub also offers the opportunity to attend art therapy group sessions, where a psychologist communicates with you through creativity. These sessions actually help to fill the need for a hobby and learning something new. To relieve physical stress, Oplich HUB offers yoga classes four times a week. That is, here we try to create a variety of leisure activities that will be beneficial for the body, soul and mental health. There are many other activities, such as career guidance for children, tea ceremonies, trainings and master classes, etc.