Modern-Day War Scores Anxiety in Modern-Day Germany, 80 Years After the End of World War II
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Rising Anxiety Over Ongoing War Situation Observed in Germany Among Residents - Germany Experiencing Growing Anxiety Over Potential Conflict
Tensions are mounting in Germany, with the seemingly never-ending conflicts in Ukraine and the Middle East fueling a sense of war anxiety, 80 years after the conclusion of World War II. This unease has been observed by Mathias Heinicke, psychotherapist and federal chairman of the Association of Contract Psychotherapists.
"As conflicts edge closer to our borders, so does the war anxiety," Heinicke articulated to the German Press Agency. His practice sees an increase in worries and future apprehensions among his patients, particularly with the Ukraine's geographical proximity to Europe.
With the ubiquity of news, images, and social media in today's digital era, rather than simply tuning out the radio or TV as in past times, we are constantly bombarded with new information, images, videos, and more via smartphones, especially with the unfiltered content shared on social media channels.
War anxiety doesn't present uniformly
Unlike before, symptoms of war anxiety can manifest in a wide range of ways: from tension and restlessness to constant thinking, panic attacks, headaches, heart rhythm disturbances, and even irritability.
Heinicke advises those who feel threatened by war anxiety to manage their content intake. "[I don't need to watch everything that's theoretically possible.] One must set boundaries or selectively block harmful content," he says.
- War anxiety
- Ukraine
- War's end
- Germany
- World War II
- Conflict
- News
- Frankfurt am Main
- Gaza
- German Press Agency
- Future
- Europe
Enrichment Data:
Impact of Close Conflicts and Defence Spending
Germany's high defense spending—estimated at $88.5 billion in 2024—reflects growing security concerns [2]. With the 2024 budget standing at €51.8B, it falls short of NATO’s 2% GDP target, yet planned increases are hampered by constitutional debt constraints, sparking debates about fiscal priorities and security needs [4].
Shifting U.S. Defense Commitments
The $1.5 trillion military expenditure by NATO in 2024 [2] corresponds with decreased U.S. focus on European security, as suggested by Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth [2]. This diminished focus on collective defense amid Germany's rearmament efforts amplifies fears of reduced defense capabilities.
Media Amplification and Social Discourse
Although the direct impact of news and social media was not addressed in the sources, the 25% military conflict concern in France [1] and parallel trends in Poland (39%) [1] suggest the spillover of anxiety across borders. In Germany, political shifts and women’s reported fears about societal tensions [3] indicate a broader unease that may be further exacerbated by crisis narratives online.
Structural Economic Constraints
Fiscal limitations—such as the 0.35% deficit cap and recent court rulings against budget reallocations—create visible political friction, framing defense debates as trade-offs between security, green energy, and social stability.
These factors combined create a climate of uncertainty, intensified by real-time conflict updates and polarized political discourse.
- Mathias Heinicke, a psychotherapist and federal chairman of the Association of Contract Psychotherapists, has noticed a rise in war anxiety among his patients in Germany, particularly those living close to the Ukraine, which is proximate to Europe.
- As tensions rise in Germany due to ongoing conflicts in Ukraine and the Middle East, war anxiety has resurfaced, 80 years after the end of World War II.
- According to Heinicke, this war anxiety is exacerbated by the constant bombardment of news, images, and social media content that modern societies, such as Germany, are subjected to.
- The symptoms of war anxiety can vary widely, encompassing tension, restlessness, constant thinking, panic attacks, headaches, heart rhythm disturbances, and irritability.
- In his advice to those affected by war anxiety, Heinicke suggests setting boundaries or selectively blocking harmful content to manage the intake of distressing news.
- The impact of close conflicts and defense spending, shifting U.S. defense commitments, media amplification and social discourse, and structural economic constraints create a climate of uncertainty in Germany, intensified by real-time conflict updates and polarized political discourse.
