By Michelle Winning
Military family members come in many forms. You could be a parent, sibling, spouse, child, or friend. Supporting a service member means that you are facing unique challenges that can be difficult and stressful. While stress is inevitable in any family, the best thing that you can do is learn how to manage it so you can have better control over its effects on your physical and mental health. The Department of Defense (DoD) Military Health System, the Child Development Institute, and Mental Health America have tips on managing stress.
Stop stress before it starts. A huge part of mental health care is preventing stress before it starts! Here are some ways to make sure that your family stays healthy and happy amidst some of the challenges of military life.
Care for Yourself: Everyday stress can place a tremendous strain on you. You are important! Many Military Treatment Facilities (MTF) and base gyms have alternative therapies like yoga, meditation, acupuncture, and massage therapy. Check your local installation and sign up. Don’t hesitate. If you give yourself too much time to think about it, you’ll find a reason not to do it.
Care for Kids: Frequent deployments and moves can be stressful for military children— sometimes they just need a break! Your local Family Service Center has a list of programs for military kids in your area. To make sure the adults understand what military kids are going through, the National Military Family Association created informational toolkits for those who work with military kids and teens.
Additional resources: Sesame Workshop, Zero to Three, the Military Child Education Coalition, Tragedy Assistance Program for Survivors
Support for Parents: Stay connected with your service member child’s command by making sure you have his or her contact information during a deployment. Some military installations offer Welcome Home classes for parents about what to expect when their son or daughter returns home from deployment. Communities may also offer support through social service agencies, churches, and veteran’s organizations.
Additional resources: Deployment Health and Family Readiness Library, Military Homefront , USA4militaryfamilies
Care for Caregivers: It is extremely important that caregivers take time for themselves to unwind and recharge when caring for a wounded service member gets overwhelming. The Department of Defense has a great website on post-deployment and military family programs. Military OneSource also has counselors available 24/7.
Where to get help. Sometimes it can take additional help to relieve stress symptoms. If you see that your stress is beginning to overwhelm you, there are many ways you can access preventive care and support:
- On a military installation: in a Military Treatment Facility, and at military installation Family Service Centers
- With Chaplains and spiritual advisers
- With DoD TRICARE Mental Health Providers: Family members, non-active duty members, and Reserve component members who have TRICARE can go directly to a mental health provider in the TRICARE network without a referral or prior authorization for the first eight sessions. Active duty service members must have a referral before receiving services. TRICARE Active Duty Programs: 888.363.2273; TRICARE for Life: 888.363.5433
- Military OneSource: Counselors are available on the telephone 24/7; find information on getting up to 12 free counseling sessions; or find many articles on combat and operational stress.
- At Veteran Affairs “Vet Centers”: Vet Centers provide readjustment counseling and outreach services to all veterans who served in any combat zone, and their families. Visit www.va.gov/rcs for a directory, or call toll free: 800.905.4675 (Eastern) and 866.496.8838 (Pacific).
- At community mental health centers: To find local state resources, visit http://store.samhsa.gov/mhlocator.
Learn more
For more resources and information on mental and behavioral health care, check out the National Military Family Association’s Mental Health Care section on our website. Have questions? Connect with us on our website at www.militaryfamily.org, our Facebook page, or on Twitter @military family, where we post the most up-to-date information on all military family issues.
Michelle Winning is an AmeriCorps member in the Government Relations department at the National Military Family Association.
I, too, am a veteran. For five years, I experienced the debilitating symptoms of fear, anxiety, and depression. Often these symptoms are diagnosed by physicians as panic attack disorder or anxiety disorder. In a constant state of anxiety and panic, I searched desperately for a way out of my forest of despair. Following what seemed to be an almost insurmountable degree of frustration and disappointment, I found the way to permanent recovery from my severe anxiety symptoms. I have created a website to help others, including fellow veterans. Please visit my website @ http://www.frompanictopeace.com for more information.