Mental Health Center
The Psychoneurological Department of Mechnikov Hospital has been operating since 2022. In 2023, the Mental Health Center was established on its basis — a modern unit providing comprehensive support to patients. This includes conducting necessary examinations, stabilizing conditions, selecting effective psychotherapy, ensuring social support, and helping families better understand their loved ones' needs. The Center has become a safe haven for individuals experiencing emotional, stress-related, anxiety, or adjustment disorders, as well as for those with psychoneurological manifestations of organic brain lesions.
Today, this area of medicine is more critical than ever. The war has drastically increased the number of people experiencing acute stress reactions, anxiety, depressive disorders, sleep disturbances, intrusive thoughts, or emotional burnout. These are natural reactions to unnatural circumstances. Our Center is dedicated to helping individuals regain their footing, restore inner balance, and feel like themselves again.
"Every day, we witness the war's impact on people's mental health. Some experience panic attacks, while others endure all-day anxiety or a loss of interest in life and exhaustion that makes routine tasks feel insurmountable. This does not mean there is something wrong with the person. It means their nervous system is operating at its absolute limit.
Our mission is to help patients regain control over their condition. We combine pharmacotherapy, psychotherapy, and interventions by psychologists and social workers. Evidence-based methods, a professional team, and a consistent approach enable us to achieve sustainable results even when individuals arrive in a state of profound exhaustion. The most crucial thing is not to wait for it to pass on its own. Mental health requires the same delicate and attentive care as physical health."
We provide care to over 1,000 patients annually, and these outcomes are the strongest evidence of our approach's efficacy.
The Center employs top-category physicians, a Doctor of Medical Sciences, experienced psychiatrists, psychotherapists, psychologists, and social workers.
Cognitive behavioral therapy, art therapy, body-oriented techniques, and psychoeducational programs.
We do more than just stabilize the condition — we help individuals rebuild social connections, working capacity, family relationships, and independence.
We have extensive experience assisting individuals with combat-related psychological trauma, anxiety, and stress disorders.
What We Treat
The Mental Health Center provides care for patients with a wide range of psychiatric and psychoneurological conditions. The most common reasons for seeking help include:
- anxiety disorders;
- acute stress reactions;
- post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD);
- adjustment disorders;
- depressive and affective disorders;
- behavioral and personality changes secondary to organic brain lesions;
- intrusive thoughts and behavioral disturbances;
- psychoemotional consequences of prolonged stress.
A specific focus of our work is supporting military personnel and their families. We have extensive experience treating combat-related stress disorders, acute psychiatric reactions, emotional exhaustion, and behavioral disturbances following traumatic events.
We guide patients through every stage of treatment, helping them understand the nature of their symptoms and setting realistic expectations for therapy. The Center provides an environment where individuals can feel safe and receive support free from judgment, stigma, or pressure.
When to Seek Help
Patients come to our Center experiencing both acute stress and chronic psychoemotional changes. It is important to consult a specialist if:
- anxiety has become constant and interferes with work or sleep;
- you experience panic attacks or intrusive thoughts;
- your sleep patterns have changed — difficulty falling asleep, frequent awakenings, nightmares;
- you develop irritability, emotional instability, or tearfulness;
- you have lost interest in activities you once enjoyed;
- you find it difficult to concentrate or feel like your memory is declining;
- you feel a sense of exhaustion or inner emptiness;
- you experience difficulties communicating with family, children, or colleagues;
- behavioral changes emerge secondary to organic brain lesions;
- you have experienced a traumatic event — regardless of when it occurred.
The sooner you seek help, the faster we can stabilize your condition and prevent symptoms from becoming chronic.
Diagnostics
To establish an accurate diagnosis, we utilize:
- ECG and EEG;
- Brain MRI or CT scans;
- laboratory tests;
- psychometric and diagnostic scales;
- consultations with neurologists, functional diagnostics specialists, and rehabilitation therapists;
- multidisciplinary case conferences, etc.
This is crucial because psychiatric symptoms often have neurological or organic underlying causes that may be missed without comprehensive assessment. We work in close collaboration with the laboratory, functional diagnostics department, rehabilitation units, and neurological services.
Treatment Methods
Therapy is always tailored individually — depending on the symptoms, their underlying causes, comorbidities, and the patient's overall level of functioning.
We employ:
- pharmacotherapy — to stabilize the condition, alleviate anxiety, normalize sleep, and manage affective symptoms;
- cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) — to address anxiety, intrusive thoughts, and behavioral reactions;
- art therapy — to restore emotional self-connection;
- body-oriented techniques — to reduce tension levels;
- psychotherapeutic support;
- social work — to assist with everyday, family, and legal issues related to the patient's condition.
Combining pharmacotherapy and psychotherapy yields better and faster results than either method used alone.
Following discharge, the patient transitions to the care of a community psychiatrist. We provide all necessary recommendations, treatment regimens, and guidelines for ongoing support.
Inpatient Facilities
The Mental Health Center has a 30-bed capacity and features 11 wards of varying sizes: from single to five-bed rooms. The facilities are bright, spacious, and equipped with modern amenities.
We provide:
- centralized catering;
- around-the-clock monitoring and support;
- attentive care from nursing and junior medical staff;
- visiting hours for relatives.
The department's atmosphere is designed to help individuals feel safe and calm, allowing them to begin their recovery in a comfortable environment.
Recommendations for Patients
- gather all medical documents that may be relevant for diagnostics;
- do not self-medicate;
- seek help at the first signs of clinical deterioration;
- do not hesitate to discuss your symptoms — mental health is just as important as physical health;
- adhere to discharge recommendations.
During challenging times, support is especially vital. We are here to help you stabilize your condition, restore inner balance, and return to everyday life. Do not postpone your consultation — the path to recovery begins with the first step!