Ukraine's veterans of the war in the east part of the country are haunted by the nightmares of war and are having great difficulty adapting to civilian life.

Though Sergiy Goptarev, now a civilian, wants to forget his time fighting in eastern Ukraine, his horrific memories keep coming back, striking him with anxieties, panic and sleeplessness, BBC reported.

Tens of thousands of Ukrainians have served in the war with pro-Russian militants in the east, which has left about 9,000 people dead and more than 20,000 wounded. Many of them have lingering psychological traumas.

The condition Goptarev and his comrades suffer has a medical term called post-traumatic stress disorder, or PTSD, which is unfamiliar to much of the Ukrainian society.

Symptoms of PTSD can include depression, sudden eruptions of anger, heavy drinking or sleeplessness. In the most serious instances, soldiers can harm themselves or those closest to them.

Vladimir Nezenets, a psychological therapist and also a veteran of the war in the east, believes every fighter returning from the front exhibits some form of PTSD, though they are loath to admit they are suffering emotionally.

The scale of the problem has caused the government's attention, with lawmakers voting to administer tests for all discharged fighters. But critics say the government's response is far from enough.

As a result, some civic organizations are working to alleviate the veterans suffering. The BBC report said a non-profit group trains dogs to be round-the-clock helpers to the veterans and another group organizes therapy through art classes, concerts, fishing and horse riding.

(Xinhua)