Navigating Mental Health in the Military Community: Challenges, Resources, and Resilience
The holiday season is a time of joy and togetherness for many, but within the military community, it can also be a stark reminder of challenges unique to our lives and lifestyle. Whether it’s celebrating while a service member is deployed, mourning the loss of a loved one, or feeling the weight of un/underemployment and childcare responsibilities as a military spouse, these stressors can take a toll on mental health. As we transition into a new year, these concerns can amplify, creating a sense of overwhelm for military families and spouses.
Causes of Mental Health Strain in the Military Community
Separation During Holidays: Celebrating the holidays apart from a deployed loved one can evoke feelings of loneliness, abandonment, and longing. The absence of a family member leaves a void during moments meant for togetherness. Additionally, being away from extended family domiciled in our hometown can enhance feelings of loneliness.
Loss and Grief: Losing a family member, whether through natural causes or the hardships of military life, adds an emotional burden that can feel insurmountable during festive times.
New Year Anxieties: The turn of the calendar often brings uncertainties about career transitions, finances, and family goals. Spouses facing unemployment or underemployment coupled with childcare challenges can feel particularly vulnerable.
TriCare Region Allocations: Recent changes in TriCare’s regional allocations have introduced complexities in accessing healthcare services, leaving families navigating new systems while managing their well-being.
Solutions and Resources to Support Mental Health
TriCare Telehealth Services
TriCare’s network offers a wide array of telehealth services tailored to mental health needs. Through virtual appointments, military families can connect with licensed counselors and mental health professionals from the comfort of their homes. These services are particularly valuable for addressing anxiety, grief, and life transitions.
Military OneSource
Military OneSource provides confidential counseling and a wealth of resources, including support for qualifying life events, financial planning, and parenting. Available 24/7, this service is a lifeline for spouses and families seeking immediate guidance and support.
PsychArmor and PsychHub
Organizations like PsychArmor and PsychHub offer training and education to better understand mental health challenges and solutions. PsychArmor’s caregiver-focused resources and PsychHub’s library of multimedia materials empower families with the knowledge to manage stress and advocate for their well-being.
P.S.– Did you know you can earn a certificate in Mental Health Allyship through Psych Hub as a member of MSAN’s mentorship program?
Community Connections with MSOs and VSOs
Connecting with Military Service Organizations (MSOs) and Veteran Service Organizations (VSOs) like the Military Spouse Advocacy Network (MSAN) can provide invaluable community support. These organizations foster a sense of belonging and relatability, reminding families they are never alone in their struggles.
Building Resilience Through Community and Care
The strength of the military community lies in its ability to rally together in the face of adversity. By prioritizing mental health, leveraging resources, and connecting with others, we create a foundation of resilience and readiness. When families are supported and cared for, service members can focus on their critical missions, ensuring the security of our nation.
As we embrace a new year, let’s remember: we are all in this together. Whether through a phone call to a friend, participation in a support group, attendings an MSO/VSO Coffee Connection, doing an outdoor activity, or accessing professional help, every step toward mental well-being contributes to a stronger, more sustainable military community. Together, we can foster an environment where belonging, care, and connection thrive—for the benefit of our families, our service members, and the country we proudly serve.
Call to Action
As the new year welcomes the opportunity for growth and development, I encourage you to participate in creating a vision board, but not a vision board traditional to the new year. Try creating a vision board specifically highlighting activities and accomplishments that can enhance your mental health in a favorable way. While we know that the purpose of developing a vision board is to manifest a visual tool for goal setting and actualization that helps people clarify and maintain focus on their aspirations, imagine what this particular practice could do for one looking to manage great mental health skills.
A vision board is a visual tool for goal-setting and manifestation that helps people clarify and maintain focus on their aspirations. It typically consists of a collection of images, words, and quotes that represent your goals, dreams, and desired lifestyle.
The main purposes of a “Mental Health” vision board would offer:
1. A means to clarifying your mental health goals: The process of creating a vision board forces you to think deeply about what you truly want mentally and emotionally across different areas like career, relationships, health, and personal growth.
2. Visualization practice: By displaying your vision board where you'll see it regularly, you create frequent opportunities for visualization and implementation, which can help strengthen your motivation and commitment to your new mental health goals.
3. Emotional connection: Images and words that resonate with your desires create an emotional connection to your goals of improved mental health, making them feel more tangible and achievable.
4. Subconscious programming: Regular exposure to your vision board may help program your subconscious mind to recognize opportunities aligned with your mental health goals.
5. Maintaining focus: In our busy lives, it's easy to lose sight of long-term goals. A vision board serves as a daily reminder of what you're working toward.
6. Accountability: Having a collage of images and figures that exist as a reminder of what your end goal and aim is towards improving your mental health can help to officially solidify your “Start to finish” outcomes.
Addressing mental health in the military community, particularly among military family dependents, is not just an annual health assessment checklist item, rather, a commitment of resilience for service. By fostering open dialogue, expanding access to tailored resources, and prioritizing prevention and early intervention, we can create an all-inclusive community where mental wellness is supported at every stage of the military journey.
Empowering families with the tools they need to navigate the unique challenges of military life will not only strengthen individual well-being but also enhance the readiness and cohesion of the entire community. Not to mention, annihilating the stigma that comes along with needing mental health help.
Together, we can build supportive networks, break down negative associations, and champion mental health as a vital pillar of overall military readiness and family success. Remember, we are all in this together. #StrongerTogether
Monique Ekundayo is a Military spouse to a Naval Officer stationed at NS-Norfolk. And while she calls San Diego, California, home, she and her little guy are currently residing in the National Capital Region. In her free time, she likes to tour the area and visit a new museum and tourist attraction at every given opportunity. #GoNavy