Self-Care in a Time of War

Self-care to help reduce the risk of post-traumatic stress

What we are living through now is traumatic. We are not yet on the other side of it—and at this stage, there is still a great deal we can do to influence how this experience will affect us later. That is why self-care during war matters.

According to Professor Arieh Shalev, who has studied trauma extensively, there are several practical things we can do to reduce the likelihood of post-traumatic stress.

First, try to reduce prolonged, uncontained distress. When intense distress continues for days after an event, it can deepen and fix the traumatic process in place. Most of us know people who have been directly affected, whether in our close circle or farther out, and all of us are living through war. Even when we try to protect ourselves, trauma is still present in the atmosphere.

At times like this, repeated exposure to media coverage and horrific stories can also create what is sometimes called secondary trauma. So one of the most important steps is to limit exposure to disturbing content—and not expose children or teens to it if it can be avoided.

It also helps to remember that many of the symptoms we may be experiencing right now are normal and meaningful. Difficulty concentrating, sleep disruption, restlessness, and changes in attention are all common responses at this stage. They are part of the psyche’s attempt to help itself cope.

Another important support is grounding—anything that helps bring us back into the body, the present moment, and the reality around us. Grounding often becomes easier when we look outward rather than inward: stepping out of the loop of thoughts and noticing the people in front of us, the room around us, the simple facts of where we are. This is a powerful way to help ourselves and others.

Another path is to help someone else—to give, encourage, support. Offering something to another person can interrupt the dominance of overwhelming distress because it restores a sense of agency, choice, and connection.

We can also turn toward our natural resources: the sea, nature, music, hobbies, and anything else that usually strengthens us. This is exactly the time to lean on what nourishes us. Even if we feel less drawn to these things right now, they can offer a kind of protected space—a return to presence, and a deliberate pause from thoughts that intensify distress.

It is also important to find meaning. Human beings cannot really live in a world emptied of meaning. We can draw strength from stories of courage. When distress rises, we can gently turn our attention toward acts of bravery, toward the ways people are showing up for one another, and toward the human solidarity that can emerge even in the midst of disaster and war.

And perhaps the most important and influential support is connection with other people—the calming effect of soothing human contact. To give and receive touch, hold a hand, rest a hand on someone you love, share a hug—these simple forms of closeness can be deeply regulating.

As I write these words, we are already in the third week of the war. This post is a loving invitation to anyone who needs it: pause and see which of these supports is available to you right now, even in a small way.

May we come through this stronger. ❤️