With constant discussions about a potential Russian invasion, the Lithuanian public is experiencing heightened stress and anger. However, a military psychologist suggests that this situation should be used as an opportunity to prepare and build resilience.
Rosita Kanapeckaitė, a psychologist at the General Jonas Žemaitis Military Academy, told LRT RADIO that she also experiences the same emotions, including fear and anger. However, the war in Ukraine gave people in Lithuania time to prepare.
"I believe that those who use this situation to become more resilient and accept reality – that war is also a part of life – are better off. None of us want war, but it is happening, and we have to act because it is our reality," Kanapeckaitė said.
According to her, the Lithuanian military has already acknowledged the need to prepare for war, and society has been adapting to this new reality. Similar shifts can be observed across different segments of the population.
"We are seeing increased interest in mandatory military service, as well as a growing number of people joining organisations like the Lithuanian Riflemen's Union and the Commendant’s Offices [territorial defence units],” she said. “A portion of society has understood and adapted to the situation. But what percentage? That remains unclear, as some people are still very resistant, angry, and unwilling to accept this reality."
Some individuals report that the ongoing war has had a negative impact on their emotional stability and overall well-being. Kanapeckaitė suggests that to cope with such emotions, people should focus on identifying their feelings and translating them into concrete actions.
"When people feel bad, they take action to change those emotions. My main message is that we should not wait for someone else to fix things for us. Instead, we must take initiative. First, we need to recognise our emotions – what exactly is causing us to feel 'bad'? Is it anger, insecurity, helplessness, or hopelessness? Once we identify it, we can take steps to change it," she explained.
She added that it is normal to feel bad at times, but if negative emotions persist and start interfering with work and daily life, it is crucial to take responsibility for improving one's emotional resilience.
The key, she emphasised, is action rather than waiting or complaining.
"People don’t always feel motivated when they go to work, but they do it anyway because they have made a decision to act. The same applies to our emotional states and resilience – we must take action ourselves," she said.
During the LRT RADIO show, a listener named Žilvinas called in, saying that he feels more anger than fear or desperation, and that recent international political developments have had the greatest emotional impact on him.
"I fear that the next stage, which would be the worst, is a state of disappointment. And I worry that society is slowly heading in that direction as we witness global events unfold," he said.
Kanapeckaitė pointed out that excessive consumption of news also plays a role in emotional distress, as people are constantly exposed to the same information through multiple channels.
"The same news gets repeated across different platforms, making it overwhelming and often frightening. If a person watched the news just once a day, it probably wouldn’t feel like too much. People need to decide for themselves how much news they consume," she advised.
Another LRT listener, Ramūnas, noted that there is a lack of insights from military experts in the media, as their assessments tend to be the most objective.
"Politicians are extremely frustrating and do nothing to maintain or increase a sense of calm," he said.
Kanapeckaitė concluded that the most important thing is to manage emotions and stress related to news consumption and to build psychological resilience, which will be useful in many aspects of life, even if war does not directly affect Lithuania.
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