The Story of Olha, who attended a Realis support group and regained hope.

Support groups help Ukrainians all over the world maintain their mental health. 

Volodymyr Bahnenko

One day, scrolling through Facebook, Olha (name changed) stumbled across an ad for a support group. Her first thought was, “I could actually really use some support right now.”

The woman registered online. Photo is for illustrative purposes only. Photo: open sources She debated registering for maybe an hour. Since childhood, Olha thought psychological help was only for really sick people, and, who knows, maybe mental illness is contagious! But the ad promised complete confidentiality, the option of opting out after the first meeting, and was completely free, so she decided to try it. 

What are support groups like? 

After filling out a registration form, Olha was contacted by a support group leader who calmly answered all her questions and told her what time they would be meeting. At the first meeting, Olha expected to see doctors in white coats. Instead, she met a group of nice, energetic, and driven people who were also seeking support.   

Within 30 minutes, Olha realized that she was in the right place at the right time. 

At the meetings, they discussed issues that normally people are afraid to mention out loud or even think about. She built a logical chain of events for herself, admitting her losses and fears. And she accepted them!

This is what Olha said herself: 

“It felt like a boulder fell off my shoulders. With the group’s help, I met my pain head-on and was able to see it from a different angle. And you know what? I can live with it. By accepting my fears, losses, and pain, I found strength within myself to keep going. I was able to soberly assess both what was happening and the strength I would need to keep moving forward. Not to mention, I can finally sleep through the night and laugh again. If you are reading this right now and wondering if it’s worth trying, I sincerely recommend giving in to your curiosity and giving it a shot. After all, what do you have to lose?”

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