Psychologists have linked the Chechen campaigns to the anxiety of residents of the republic amid drone attacks

People who have previously experienced wars and the associated losses and hardships are vulnerable, and drone attacks in Chechnya and even testing of warning systems are causing fear and anxiety among some residents. Psychologists noted that mobile internet shutdowns deprive them of access to reliable information and only exacerbate this situation.

As reported by the " Caucasian Knot ," amid the increasing frequency of drone attacks, Chechen authorities organized at least two tests of emergency sirens within three days. Another test was previously scheduled for late December. Social media users noted that the attacks on the republic and the tests of the warning systems are causing anxiety among those who lived through the Chechen military campaigns.

Lawyer Abusupyan Gaitayev , who periodically visits Chechnya, believes that the population, including the older generation who lived through the Chechen military campaigns, reacts relatively calmly to drone alerts.

"Because it seems so trivial to them compared to what happened then and what the older generation experienced. I talk to my peers, but no one even talks about it. Apparently, it's unlikely to create any anxiety or anything," he told a "Caucasian Knot" correspondent.

In his opinion, perhaps the security forces are more concerned.

"I don't even remember civilians discussing it. I don't think there's such a serious discussion in society. Young people probably still don't like the internet shutdown and the lack of communication. These things, in my opinion, aren't significant enough to cause any kind of unrest," Gaitayev believes.

"It's much more worrisome when someone is being taken to a funeral. It's a more important thing for people, a more tragic one," Gaitayev noted.

People do not want there to be destruction of civilian objects and roads.

Chechen political scientist Ruslan Kutayev *  is confident that announcements about the dangers of unmanned aerial vehicles affect all generations in one way or another .

"This affects both the older and younger generations. Young people don't even remember active war, bombings, mortars, and so on. People don't want to see the destruction of civilian objects and roads. They're tired of destruction that then has to be rebuilt," he told a "Caucasian Knot" correspondent. However, he added, the attack on the FSB building in Achkhoy-Martan didn't evoke any negative emotions.

As for those who have relatives and friends in the SVO, their anxiety does not depend on the arrival of UAVs.

"They're worried regardless of whether they're arriving or not, if their relatives are at war. Arriving home doesn't affect those who are up ahead at the front," Kutayev* said.

Psychologists have linked anxiety to attacks on Russian regions.

Social psychologist, television expert, and active member and instructor of the All-Russian Professional Psychotherapeutic League, Nailya Birarova, reported that currently, in many areas of Russia, the majority of people experience a high level of anxiety.

"This is connected to the current situation, including in Chechnya. And in this region, we also have to take into account the fact that there have been many military situations there in the past. This has a particular impact. The psyche isn't always stable. The psyche doesn't always feel safe in normal times, but during incidents like the ones happening now, when warning systems are constantly sounding, there's a constant sense of internal anxiety, which creates hysteria and panic. Not everyone can manage their state by managing their thoughts," she said.

According to the social psychologist, older people, adults who lived through wartime, are very vulnerable.

"They've experienced their loved ones, their partners, their children, or their parents being in war-related situations, and they also have post-traumatic memories associated with those events. It's clear that the lack of security, which is important for every person, the threat to life and health, and the loss of property negatively impact their mental state. The psyche begins to destabilize, and internal balance is disrupted. They also require additional resources, such as nutrition, vitamins, and so on, because a person can't always independently provide themselves with the internal resources necessary for a harmonious physical state. Therefore, military situations associated with the past greatly influence what happens in the present," Birarova explained.

She pointed out that under stress, sound receptors become significantly dulled.

"That is, sensitivity is heightened, but at the same time, internal connection with oneself is lost. In older people, memories become more acute; memory begins to offer up flashbacks of the past, perhaps associated with unpleasant memories. This increases anxiety, even increases aggression, increases instability, and deprives a person of even restful sleep. A person loses their inner support," Birarova emphasized.

 In such moments of instability, the human psyche falls into the abyss of its unconscious and begins to sort through images from the past, she noted.

"A mobile internet outage, a disrupted connection, indicates a loss of connection to the present, a loss of contact with the outside world, and perhaps even a loss of contact with the media that broadcasts events to us. A lack of information makes it difficult to reduce anxiety. Only when people gain information do they begin to rely on it, develop a path forward, and understand that this issue will be resolved, and they become more emotionally resilient," Birarova said.

According to her, emotional intelligence comes into play in anxious moments.

"There are people who tend to exaggerate external events, while others, on the contrary, downplay them. Both groups fail to rely on the present moment. This means they misjudge what's actually happening when we watch news channels, the media, social media, or the internet. But the most important thing is to focus on the fact that information is always available, and not to invent, speculate, or add additional fears to the information the media feeds us. Instead, assess current events realistically, and rely on yourself, understanding that in any situation, people have survived and coped, and we will survive and cope now," Birarova explained.

If household members have contact with each other, it is good to give each other the right support - psychological, moral, mental, emotional - and to hold on to each other, she believes.

"It's important to believe and cultivate positive emotions within ourselves, because if we think about how bad everything is and how it won't end well, we'll feed our fears. Our task, however, is to trust and thereby create security and safety for ourselves, at least within ourselves," Birarova concluded.

Crisis psychologist and psychotherapist Natalia Nesterenko confirmed that increased anxiety is characteristic of regions of Russia subject to drone attacks.

"Recently, drones have indeed been attacking many regions of Russia, including Chechnya. Warning systems are constantly sounding, the internet is being shut down, people are left without communication, airports are being closed. This, of course, is the reality we live in today. It is a reality of endless uncertainty and danger, and it must be said that this greatly affects people's well-being and, undoubtedly, creates anxiety. If we talk about Chechnya and its residents, this cannot help but affect their well-being, given their background, their past, the military campaigns that have taken place, and the post-traumatic stress disorder that some residents suffer from," she told a "Caucasian Knot" correspondent.

For those who have unhealed trauma from military campaigns, it will somehow erupt in today's insecure and uncertain situation, the psychologist noted.

"This is influenced by the constant presence of these alarm signals. The sounds of sirens and drones cannot help but cause stress and anxiety in residents, perhaps panic and even panic attacks in those Chechen residents who lived through wartime. This can be especially pronounced in older people who directly experienced the first and second Chechen wars. Memories of traumatic events of the past, one way or another, lead to overt or covert manifestations of anxiety, panic, insomnia, and other symptoms. Some residents of Chechnya may be particularly sensitive to current uncertainty, as they once witnessed past conflicts. Residents of other regions of Russia may perceive it with greater anxiety, with greater tension than they might experience, as they once had a military background. They may perceive the current situation as a return to traumatic memories. No one has conducted such studies, but it would probably be good, for illustration purposes, to conduct such a study: how all this actually manifests itself, taking into account the traumatic experiences of past years," Nesterenko said.

According to her, the intensity and frequency of anxiety can potentially impact the psyche.

"Constant stress creates a sense of constant danger in people, which can lead to accelerated fatigue, irritability, and the development of anxiety disorders. The lack of predictability and understanding of what's happening around them increases feelings of hopelessness, helplessness, and powerlessness. And, of course, it causes chronic anxiety, which worsens psychological well-being and can increase the risk of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and other problems," Nesterenko explained.

Loss of access to information reduces the feeling of control over the situation and also increases anxiety and helplessness.

In her opinion, communication failures and the lack of internet are exacerbating the problem.

"It's becoming increasingly difficult to contact relatives, even call a taxi, an ambulance, a doctor, or social services. Against this backdrop of information deprivation, people feel increasingly isolated, and as a result, they experience uncertainty, anxiety, and fear. People don't know what's happening, how to feel about it, how to react, or when the situation will improve or end. And this undoubtedly impacts our emotional and psychological state. Furthermore, the loss of access to information reduces the sense of control over the situation and increases anxiety and our sense of helplessness: I can't control and be responsible for my own life, and I can no longer be fully responsible for the life of my loved one, for example, an elderly person or a child. In such a dangerous situation, when these supports are lost, the risk of psychological trauma increases for such a family," Nesterenko concluded.

* entered into the register of foreign agents.

** The activities of Meta (owner of Facebook, Instagram and WhatsApp) are prohibited in Russia.