Challenges and Resilience of Ukrainian Journalists

What poses the greatest challenge for journalists, and how resilient are they despite all the hardship? Find out in the new study by Mental Support for Media.

We know that journalism carries one of the highest risks of mental health issues. According to this year’s study, conducted as part of the Mental Support for Media program, which surveyed over 800 journalists:

9 out of 10 media professionals experience symptoms of depression.
8 out of 10 show symptoms of anxiety disorder.
64% of journalists have experienced a traumatic event;
and 44% suffer from intrusive, unwanted memories of that event — a sign of risk for PTSD.

What poses the greatest challenge for journalists?

The new study examined 69 journalists participating in the Mental Support for Media psychological support program. Among them, 75% are women and 25% are men, with an average age of 31.6 years (ranging from 19 to 58). Participants represented journalists from across the country, with the highest participation coming from Kyiv (36%), Mykolaiv (22%), and Kharkiv (10%) regions.

Current Challenges Facing Journalists

Journalists were asked to rate 19 potential difficulties based on how frequently they experience them ("Often" / "Sometimes" / "Not a problem right now"). The list covered several categories: war-related challenges, workflow issues, personal struggles, and interpersonal/relational difficulties.

When combining overall impact ("Often" + "Sometimes"), chronic fatigue affects 88% of journalists — making it the most prevalent challenge in the sample. Perfectionism / hyper-responsibility (85%) and burnout (84%) closely follow.

In other words, physical and emotional exhaustion is the baseline state for the vast majority of journalists.

A more detailed breakdown of the top challenges faced by journalists is presented in the table below.

Top 10 Challenges Facing Journalists

Below are the ten most widespread challenges based on the responses marked as "Often"

Resilience of Journalists

Despite all the challenges of living through war and covering deeply sensitive topics, the journalists who participated in the study demonstrate a high level of resilience.

Each participant evaluated 22 statements on a scale from 1 to 10. A total score approaching 100 indicates a high level of resilience.

Below are the most pronounced strengths among journalists that build their overall resilience

Key Takeaways

86% above the resilience threshold

Despite the context of war and heavy workloads, the vast majority of Ukrainian journalists demonstrate a remarkably high level of resilience. In our view, this is driven by a deep sense of purpose—knowing their work matters to many—as well as their ability to stay adaptable and resourceful under pressure.

Challenge #1: Perfectionism and Hyper-Responsibility

Personal struggles (perfectionism and hyper-responsibility) are reported as "frequent" by 48% of respondents—the highest rate among all 19 challenges. Crucially, this factor significantly reduces resilience and almost always goes hand-in-hand with exhaustion.

Accumulation: The Core Risk

The greatest danger lies not in a single challenge, but in their combined weight. When journalists report 5 or more frequent challenges, their resilience drops significantly (128.7 vs. 149.2).

Age Group at Risk

Journalists aged 36 and older feel more drained. Fatigue, burnout, and navigating loss increase significantly with age. Resilience in the 36+ age group is the lowest (130.8 vs. 144.5 in the 26–35 range), though the gap is not critical.

Pillars of Support

Strength, adaptability, and peace with the past. The strongest resources identified are:

"I believe in my own efforts", "I feel strong", "Adaptability". These qualities serve as the primary anchors for journalists.

Challenge Clusters Are Not Random

Exhaustion, personal struggles, loss of purpose, and uncertainty form a tightly interconnected knot.

The Frontline Region Paradox

Journalists in Mykolaiv, Kharkiv, and Sumy show similar resilience levels compared to other regions (137.0 vs. 140.5, p=0.897). Surprisingly, however, they report fewer personal struggles, less uncertainty, and fewer relational difficulties. A likely explanation: in frontline areas, external threats are concrete and immediate, making internal anxieties less prominent.

About the Study
The study was conducted with the support of The German Marshall Fund of the United States as part of Mental Support for Media — Ukraine’s only comprehensive program providing psychotherapeutic support for journalists and newsrooms. We offer: diagnostics, training, individual consultations, and professional recovery for journalists.

Prepared by:

Anastasiia Nizhnik, psychotherapist, mentor for the Mental Support for Media program, co-founder of the Braincult Development and Psychotherapy Center, and co-founder of the Resilience Hub platform.