Former Political Prisoner-Student Didn't Seek Help for Four Years. But Now Deteriorating Health Forced His Hand.

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A former political prisoner, after prison, emigration, and a long period of stress, found himself in a difficult psychological state: he was diagnosed with an anxiety-depressive disorder and PTSD. Now he needs help for treatment and housing rent to recover and be able to work again, writes the «Bysol» Solidarity Foundation.

The hero is in a very vulnerable psychological state, and his relatives are under pressure from security forces; therefore, Bysol has hidden his name and some details of the story*.

«Hello. I'll say right away that writing this down was incredibly difficult for me. I am a former political prisoner. Ten times I wrote and erased this text. It is unbearably difficult for me to ask for help. But it will be even worse not to ask for it.

I have a mixed anxiety-depressive disorder and PTSD, and the prescribed medications have not yet taken effect. The psychiatrist warned that I urgently need peace, that therapy will be long-lasting, and individual psychological sessions are necessary for at least a year.

How did I end up at this point?

In 2020, I was detained in Minsk for participating in student and civic peaceful protests after the presidential elections. I was charged with criminal liability under Article 342 of the Criminal Code of the Republic of Belarus («organization or participation in actions that grossly violate public order»).

After my release from prison in 2022, I did not seek psychological help for what I had experienced, as I did not trust other people. In addition, I thought that by asking for help, I would look weak and, at the same time, take resources from those who suffered more.

After serving my full term and being released, I was forced to emigrate to Europe. Detention, prison, emigration: to suppress the pain of memories with work, I continued to be active. In addition, it gave me the realization that I had not given up. During this time, I started working for one of the Belarusian independent media outlets — writing various materials under a pseudonym. In March 2025, my cooperation with them ended due to financial reasons.

I was convinced that journalistic activity and social activism would help me cope with what had happened to me. But journalism as a job is very stressful due to the enormous amount of negative news (especially concerning repression in Belarus), and apparently, I was only postponing (and even intensifying) my post-traumatic syndrome after prison.

Since my dismissal, I have been looking for a new job for many months, as best I could, but unsuccessfully. Such a long period of instability and unemployment, as well as the accumulated debt for housing rent, further worsened my mental state. At the end of October 2025, realizing the lack of any energy for studies and basic household tasks, I had to contact the university where I study, and they helped me get an appointment and see a psychiatrist. That's how I learned about my diagnosis.

I need your help to break out of this vicious circle. To have the strength and ability to work, I need to recover, and to recover, I need funds for the duration of my treatment — for rent, medication, and doctor's visits. Any contribution you make will bring me closer to recovery».

Fundraising Goal

€2800

€1800 — 2 months of housing rent

€1000 — 20 sessions of individual therapy

You can support the former political prisoner via the link.

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