Below we present a post by psychologist Wiktoria Srebnicka from her Facebook profile, Stając się sobą:
"The people who have come under your roof have experienced trauma. They may behave differently than they would in peacetime. They may be withdrawn, quiet, or, on the contrary, effusive, and even irrational or demanding.
Do not take this as ingratitude or heartlessness.
Their questions or behavior may be somewhat incomprehensible to you, and may even seem absurd. The girl we took in kept asking about dishwashing sponges. When she saw limescale forming on boiled water, she was devastated. She cried, asking whether baby porridge could be made with such water.
Do not ask unnecessary questions. Your guests are under dramatic psychological strain. They may not be able to cope with thinking about the future or everyday matters. Our guest could not say what she needed, what food to buy for her child, or whether she had clothes for herself and her baby.
Sometimes you will need to try to put yourself in their position: what would I need in such a situation? It is overwhelming for these people.
Listen more, ask less. Some may want to talk about the war, but others cope by talking about holidays or other good things instead of the war. It is a psychological mechanism! Sometimes a terrified person does not appear terrified at all.
Listen, listen, listen. Your guests will be grateful to you and will remember this support for the rest of their lives. Even if they do not show it now."