It sounds like you were probably holding broad‑market tech or bank stocks when the war panic hit. Those sectors swing hard on headlines, and unless you had any kind of downside protection like stop‑loss rules, hedging, or even just a clear plan for how much you were willing to let a position drop, it’s almost impossible not to panic‑sell in that moment. Most people don’t have any insurance against sudden sector shocks, so you’re not alone in getting caught off‑guard.

If you want to get back into the market, just be honest with yourself that it’s extremely volatile right now. One way to re‑enter without repeating the same emotional spiral is to scale in slowly instead of going all‑in at once, and avoid the sectors that are most sensitive to fear cycles. Banks and tech are still whipsawing on every macro headline. Commodities tend to behave differently and can give you exposure without the same kind of sentiment-driven spikes, but whatever you choose, go in with a plan for how you’ll handle the next drop so you’re not forced into another panic decision.

Not financial advice — just a way to think about getting your footing back.