American experts have begun studying a new psychological consequence of war
The constant presence of drones at the frontline generates prolonged fear among some Ukrainian soldiers, which does not pass after leaving the combat zone. The first patients with such a condition began seeking help at the military hospital in Kyiv in 2023. This was reported by Glavcom citing Le Monde, according to the portal PromPolitInform.
According to Serhii Andreichenko, who heads the psychiatric department of the Ukrainian army’s medical service, the fear of unmanned aerial vehicles is linked to a sense of helplessness before them. Many service members with such symptoms had no physical injuries but urgently needed professional psychological assistance.
Experts note that the persistence of the threat distinguishes this state from a one-time fright. A person lives in constant anticipation of a new strike, reacts sharply to the characteristic hum, and feels anxious even deep in the rear areas where there are no direct combat operations.
Oleksandr Dushakov and his path to recovery
One of the patients was Kyiv ballet dancer Oleksandr Dushakov, who joined the Defense Forces and served in a reconnaissance unit in the Lyman sector. Health issues arose while performing tasks in the Serebryansky forest in September 2024, after which he was sent for rehabilitation to the capital.
The soldier noted that adrenaline on the frontline helped him act quickly, whereas the constant hum in the sky caused an obsessive and exhausting fear. Following the first course of treatment, new shelling of Kyiv triggered a panic reaction, and the fighter required a repeated course of therapy in the psychiatric ward.
Research by American medics in Ukraine
In 2024, researchers from Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, and the Home Base program arrived in Ukraine. They launched the «Invisible Wounds of Ukraine» initiative to support military personnel and medics, focusing particularly on the consequences of drone warfare.
Rehabilitologist Ron Hirschberg conducted a detailed interview with Dushakov and noted high levels of anxiety in patients. According to him, triggers for such states can be any sounds resembling the hum of drones, including holiday fireworks.
Status of the diagnosis in medical practice
Currently, Ukrainian hospitals diagnose such conditions primarily as post-traumatic stress disorder or adjustment disorders. Serhii Andreichenko also speaks of a «complex military disorder» accompanied by depression and existential crises.
Experts consider the term «dronephobia» a working concept since it is not yet included in the official international classification of diseases. Meanwhile, international and Ukrainian medics continue to explore the impact of constant aerial threats on the psyche of service members.
Photo: Glavcom
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