Diagnosis and management of reactive anxiety in school-age youth under conditions of military conflict

In the current conditions, military actions on the territory of Ukraine significantly increase the impact of stressinducing factors on the population, particularly on school and university youth. The main stressors include explosions, air raid alerts, constant threats to life and health, information overload, as well as prolonged exposure to psychological tension and uncertainty. The combined effect of these factors leads to elevated levels of stress and anxiety, which negatively affect the psychophysiological state of the individual. In particular, there are disturbances in the body’s homeostasis, dysfunctions of the nervous and cardiovascular systems, and a decrease in cognitive abilities, work capacity, and adaptive resources. This study examines modern approaches to assessing the psycho-emotional state under conditions of military actions. To determine the level of reactive anxiety, the Spielberger–Hanin methodology was used, which allows for a quantitative assessment of situational anxiety and its changes under the influence of external factors. In addition, the saliva diagnostics method was applied as an objective biochemical indicator of the body’s stress reactions, which complements psychological data with physiological indicators. The results of an experimental study aimed at overcoming elevated anxiety levels using phytotherapy methods are presented. Specifically, the impact of medicinal plants with sedative properties on the psychoemotional state and cardiovascular system functioning was analyzed. The obtained results indicate a reduction in reactive anxiety levels and an improvement in functional indicators after the use of phytotherapeutic agents. A conclusion was made about the appropriateness of a comprehensive approach to reducing anxiety under conditions of military actions and the effectiveness of phytotherapy as an auxiliary method for psycho-emotional stabilization.