April Kapu, DNP: The Mental Stress of the Ukraine War

As COVID-19 cases seemed to crater across the US, there is a new stressor for many in the form of the war between Russia and Ukraine.

The war in the age of social media where video and content is not only accessible but often unavoidable, could have a profound impact on the mental health of many, even if they are not directly impacted by the war.

In an interview with HCPLive®, April Kapu, DNP, APRN, ACNP-BC, FAANP, FCCM, FAAN, Associate Dean for Clinical and Community Partnerships, Vanderbilt University School of Nursing, explained how the war likely will impact people mentally throughout the world.

“The worry and the concern for humanity and what’s happening. Seeing children’s and mothers hiding in bomb shelters and the bombing of hospitals, that’s all so difficult to see and you can imagine what they are going through,” Kapu said.

Some of the concerns in a stressful situation like war, Kapu said, is that people can resort to harmful activities, like drugs, alcohol, or to continue social isolation seen during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Kapu also said social media has played a factor into the mental health aspect of the war.

“This one seems much more up close and personal,” Kapu said. “It’s very different this time around. Social media is in everyone’s hands.”