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Review
. 2025 Feb;27(2):140-146.
doi: 10.1007/s11920-024-01583-4. Epub 2024 Dec 30.

War Anxiety: A Review

Stephen X Zhang #  1   2 , Lambert Zixin Li #  3
Affiliations
Review

War Anxiety: A Review

Stephen X Zhang et al. Curr Psychiatry Rep. 2025 Feb.

Abstract

Purpose of review: This review critically evaluates literature on war-induced anxiety, highlighting findings from 2021 to 2024, especially during the Russia-Ukraine war.

Recent findings: Measures and prevalence estimates of anxiety and fear are updated. Populations affected by armed conflicts include residents of conflict zones and neighboring countries, internally displaced persons, refugees, combatants, and healthcare and humanitarian aid workers. Socioeconomic factors predict anxiety incidence and individuals differ in coping strategies. Anxiety could have long-term adverse effects over the life-course and across generations. Community and online interventions may reduce anxiety. The review underscores research directions in war-related anxiety's definition and assessment, risk and protective factors, health and societal consequences, and prevention and treatment approaches. The review provides an update for mental health researchers and practitioners working with the victims of war and other crises, often compounded by additional layers of stress of social inequalities, political divisions, and ethnic and racial tensions.

Keywords: Anxiety; Armed conflict; Crisis; Distress; Fear; War.

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Conflict of interest statement

Declarations. Competing Interests: The authors declare no competing interests.

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