Armour up

In this book, you `ll find the material from a lecture series that was delivered to the Ukrainian Armed Forces, special units of the National Pollice, and private security companies. This course is based on the latest knowledge about stress and the human body’s response to life-threatening situations and other critical events. It also includes the author’s personal experience, who was involved in combat operations since the Anti-Terrorist Operation in Eastern Ukraine (2014) and encountered a full-scale Russian invasion (2022) on the defense front of his hometown, with an anti-tank missile system in hand.

This book offers insights into the natural reactions of individuals who find themselves in critical situations, taking into account humanity’s knowledge of hormones, the functioning of the nervous system, and psychological aspects. It is written from the perspective of a military professional who utilized the tools described here to cope with combat stress and assist comrades in surviving one of the biggest wars of the 21 century. The uthor delves into the nature of what happens to a person during extreme situations. There’s a lot about hormones, the brain, and their interplay. However, it’s not a biology textbook! lt’s a guide for those who want to understand how stress affects each of us and how its impact can be minimized. Ilt covers topics such as pain, fear, the psychology of killing, post-traumatic stress disorder, and stress resilience.