A journalist looks at a damaged house after a Russian drone attack on January 22, 2025 in Sumy, Ukraine. In the evening, the Russian army attacked Sumy with 'Shahed' drones. Private houses were damaged. Three people were injured. Photo: Denys Kryvopyshyn/ Cukr.city /Global Images Ukraine via Getty Images
Journalists grapple with anxiety and depression in war-torn Ukraine
War reporting is taking a tremendous psychological toll on journalists in Ukraine. Despite demand for assistance, IMS partners providing a mental health programme have been hit with US funding cuts.
“Due to the irregular schedule and fast pace of work, I sometimes don’t even notice the fatigue setting in. There’s rarely time to rest, and burnout eventually follows,” said Olha Zvonariova, a correspondent at Ukrinform, Ukraine’s national news agency.
She is one of more than 600 journalists and media workers who has participated in the IMS-supported Mental Support for Media programme since 2023.
Ukrainian journalists say it has been important to learn about resilience strategies to combat vicarious trauma, as well as to support sources and ensure interviews are not retraumatising for survivors.
“At times, journalists must act like psychologists to build trust with their interviewees. We often internalise their pain as our own,” Olha Zvonariova said.
Mental Support for Media, a collaboration between the Souspilnist Foundation and the BrainCult Center for Mental Health, has been a gamechanger to help reporters deal with the emotional trauma of reporting.
A survey of participants found that after the programme:
— 85 percent experienced lower anxiety levels.
— 95 percent showed decreased symptoms of depression.
— 79 percent reported reduced burnout.
The programme helps to destigmatise and normalise mental health support in newsrooms.
“There hasn’t been a strong culture of seeking psychological help in Ukraine, and the same was true in journalism,” said Andrii Sydorenko, coordinator of Mental Support for Media. “They now share this experience with others, promoting the message that reaching out for support is both necessary and courageous.”
The programme is urgently seeking new institutional partners due to the US funding cuts.
