Psychology and Mental Health in Ukraine

Psychology

46% of parents of "early birds" don't know what follow-up assessment is — yet it determines whether a child will catch up with peers

# Catamnestic Monitoring Reduces Disease Risk in Premature Infants by 80% — Yet Nearly Half of Ukrainian Families Remain Unaware of This Program Catamnestic monitoring reduces the risk of developing pathologies in prematurely born children by 80% — but almost half of Ukrainian families have still not heard about this program. What it is, who needs it, and how it works in practice.

Psychology

No Longer Just One Disease: Why Pregnant Women in Ukraine Increasingly Come to Doctors With Multiple Conditions

Anemia plus diabetes plus hypertension — not an exception, but a new norm. Obstetrician-gynecologist Vladislav Yavir explains what lies behind this and why women from frontline regions represent a separate risk group.

Psychology

Why millions of people read horoscopes every week — and what science says about this habit

# Retrograde Mercury, New Moon in Cancer, Tense Jupiter-Pluto Aspect — the Week of July 13–19 Abounds with Astrological Events. But While Astrologers Offer Advice, Psychologists Have Long Studied Why These Tips Work So Well.

Psychology

Cat Who "Got Sick" After You Got a New Job: How Operant Conditioning Turns Your Pet Into a Manipulator

Animals don't lie consciously — but they learn: if limping once brought attention, it will return. Veterinarian Elizaveta Babiy explains where the line lies between a conditioned reflex and genuine pain that owners mistake for a whim.

Psychology

Mercury Retrograde, Jupiter in Leo, Mars and Uranus Together: What This Means in Practice

From June 29 to July 5, 2026, three astrological events will occur simultaneously. Regardless of whether you believe in astrology, the advice that stems from it aligns with ordinary caution in financial and communication matters.

Psychology

"Bed Rest During Pregnancy: Why Medicine Has Abandoned 'Safe Rest'"

For decades, pregnant women were prescribed bed rest "just in case" without evidence-based justification. Now ACOG has officially discontinued this practice, and 2024 research explains how movement actually protects against the most common pregnancy complications.

Psychology

New Moon, Venus in Leo, and Solstice: What's Actually Happening in the Sky June 15–21, 2026

Three astronomical events align within a single week — a rarity that explains why astrologers have become more active. But there is a distance between celestial mechanics and the advice to "avoid conflicts" that is worth understanding.

Psychology

Quiet on the Inside: Why Children Stay Silent About Fear and How to Recognize It Before It's Too Late

# The Most Dangerous Consequences of War for Children's Mental Health Are Not Immediately Visible Child psychologist Olena Shershnova explains how to read body and behavioral signals — and what a "daily routine" really means under constant threat.

Psychology

Dopamine, Blood Vessels, and the Limits of Reason: What Contrast Showers Actually Do to Your Body

# Contrast Showers Train Vascular Tone and Trigger Dopamine Surges — but for People with Cardiovascular Disease and Hypertension, It's Not Hardening but Risk. Health Ministry Doctor Breaks Down the Mechanism.

Psychology

Brain on the Edge: What Cortisol Does to Dopamine and Why Breaking Free from Apathy Isn't a Matter of Willpower

Chronic stress doesn't just spoil your mood — it structurally suppresses the brain's reward system. Neurobiology explains why "just pulling yourself together" doesn't work, and what actually helps.

Psychology

"Natural" doesn't mean safe: what kills pets during cleaning

Chlorine and phenols are well-known enemies of cats and dogs. But tea tree oil from an aroma diffuser or a "chemical-free" lemon-based product can cause just as much harm.

Psychology

The placenta filters only 10% of maternal cortisol — and this is already enough for changes in the child's brain

Chronic stress during pregnancy is not merely maternal discomfort. The stress hormone penetrates the placental barrier and affects the development of the fetus's nervous system, even in minimal doses.

Psychology

Minerals in Exchange for Presence: What Kyiv Got From Its Deal With Washington — and What It Didn't

On April 30, the United States and Ukraine signed an agreement on a joint reconstruction investment fund. The Council ratified it within eight days. The document contains no security guarantees — and this was a conscious choice by the American side.

Psychology

Collective Psychopathology as Part of the Response to the "Moscow Question"

Once, the German Nazis viewed the “Final Solution to the Jewish Question” as the annihilation of the Jewish people. Moscow’s Nazis now seek a “final solution to the Ukrainian question” in almost the same way — for them this means the destruction of Ukraine and the absorption of the Ukrainian people by Moscow’s imperial swamp.

Psychology

Scientists reveal how Batman's image boosts people's kindness

A psychologists' experiment showed that the presence of a person dressed as Batman in a subway car promotes increased altruistic behavior among passengers.