What’s The Best Way To Find Mental Health Resources For Military Families?

According to the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI), signs of diagnosable mental health conditions are present in nearly one in four active duty members of the US military, while a further 11-20% of military veterans experience post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) in any given year. These statistics indicate that mental health is often an ongoing challenge for current and former members of the military. Understanding common mental health challenges and how to find resources may be beneficial for military members, veterans, and their families. 

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What mental health concerns are common for military members? 

It’s possible for anyone from any line of work or background to experience any number of mental health conditions. That said, statistics shared by NAMI suggest there are three primary mental health concerns that individuals who are or have been part of the military may be more likely to develop.

Depression

Depression is a mood disorder that can take many different forms, such as major depressive disorder, persistent depressive disorder, seasonal affective disorder, perinatal depression, and depression with symptoms of psychosis. Research suggests that the prevalence of depression in general in active military members is 23%, while the rate for veterans is 20%. The symptoms of depression can vary depending on the individual, the type of depression they have, symptom severity, and any co-occurring conditions, but they generally include things like:

• Persistent feelings of sadness, hopelessness, or emptiness
• Irritability and emotional outbursts
• Changes in appetite
• Struggles with self-esteem
• Sleep disturbances or excessive sleep
• Feelings of guilt or shame
• Difficulty concentrating or making decisions
• Lack of energy or fatigue
• Aches and pains
• Slowed movement or speech

Individuals experiencing depression may also withdraw socially, avoiding family and friends and struggling to function in social settings when they do engage. This and other symptoms of depression may impact the affected individual’s loved ones too, who also have the potential to experience depression.

Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)

Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is diagnosed in a significant number of active service military members and veterans. According to the US Department of Veterans Affairs, PTSD is estimated to affect:

• Approximately 11–20% of those who were deployed to Iraq or Afghanistan
• Approximately 12% of those who were deployed to the Gulf War
• Approximately 30% of those who were deployed to Vietnam

While PTSD can and does also affect those who have not been in the military, much of the psychological community's current understanding of the condition was built on research relating to individuals who have been in combat. Today, symptoms of PTSD are recognized as things like:

• Changes in mood and cognition. Individuals with PTSD may struggle to remember the details of traumatic events or have distorted thoughts about the events, which may lead them to experience unfounded thoughts of guilt or shame. In addition, those with PTSD may display anger, feelings of detachment from others, and/or an inability to experience positive emotions. 
• Changes in reactivity and arousal. Those with PTSD often experience hypervigilance, or a state of being constantly “on edge” and watching for potential threats. As a result, they may live with symptoms like irritability, emotional outbursts, reckless behavior, paranoia, and/or sleep disturbances. The constant stress and tension may also impact mental well-being overall.
• Intrusive thoughts and flashbacks. Repeated thoughts relating to the traumatic event(s) may occur involuntarily, causing discomfort and making it difficult to focus. In addition, individuals with PTSD may experience flashbacks, a type of sensory event that can cause a person to feel like they’re seeing, hearing, tasting, smelling, or touching things that constitute a reliving of the traumatic event. Flashbacks are often vivid and may cause physical reactions such as sweating, pain, nausea, and a racing heartbeat. 
• Avoidance. Individuals with PTSD may try to avoid places, people, situations, and objects that remind them of the traumatic event, since these reminders can cause discomfort and may trigger symptoms. As a result, they might avoid discussing the past or their feelings. This could make it difficult for them to let their loved ones know what they’re experiencing and may impede treatment. 

Traumatic brain injury (TBI)

While technically a physical injury, traumatic brain injuries (TBIs) can have a number of mental health implications. The US Department of Veterans Affairs estimates that there were more than 375,000 diagnosed cases of TBIs between 2000 and 2017 for members of the US armed forces. TBIs may occur as a result of blunt force to the head or body. In some cases, objects that enter the brain (such as shrapnel) may also cause a TBI. 

Depending on the type of injury and the severity of the case, TBI symptoms may include:

• Headache
• Blurred vision
• Loss of consciousness
• Nausea
• Slurred speech or weakness of the extremities
• Seizures
• Irritability
• Sleep disturbances
• Difficulty concentrating
• Light-headedness and vertigo
• Rapid changes in mood
• Apathy
• Impulsivity 

If you or a loved one are experiencing these symptoms—particularly within the first 24 hours after an injury occurs—it’s essential to seek immediate medical attention. 

Mental health challenges common in military families

Family members of individuals in the military may face a unique set of mental health challenges as well. First, seeing a loved one experience symptoms related to PTSD or other mental illnesses can be difficult. In addition, military family members—especially children—may be at increased risk of developing certain emotional or mental health challenges themselves due to the often difficult lifestyle of military families. They may also face increased barriers to care due to frequent relocations and limited resources. 

The potential causes and contributing factors of such challenges are many. For example, having a family member suddenly deployed can be stressful and disrupt routines. It may be difficult to communicate with them while they’re away, which can put strain on relationships. Stress and anxiety about their safety can also have negative health impacts. The challenges associated with frequent family relocation can be many as well, such as being away from relatives and other support systems and having trouble locating mental health resources in a new place.

Where to find mental health resources for military families

There are a variety of ways that active service members, veterans, and military family members can connect with mental health resources. Military members and veterans may seek them out for support in coping with mental health conditions like those outlined above, while their family members may seek emotional support for the challenges military life may present to them as well. The Department of Defense recommends several mental health resources that military families can take advantage of, including:

• The Psychological Health Resource Center: a 24/7 service that can help current or former members of the military and their families with psychological questions and challenges. Individuals can speak with professional mental health consultants by phone, email, or online chat. These providers may offer answers to their questions or connect them to resources in their area. 
• The inTransition program: a program that provides free, specialized assistance and counseling to veterans and service members who are returning from deployment, transitioning between reserves and active duty, relocating to a new assignment, or preparing to leave the service. 
• The Real Warriors Campaign (RWC): a campaign that focuses on reducing the stigma associated with mental health, increasing mental health literacy, and encouraging active duty service members and veterans to seek psychological health support. The RWC does this by releasing videos, online articles, podcasts, and other forms of media on the topic. 
• TRICARE: an organization that offers emergency and non-emergency mental health care to those who enroll. TRICARE’s website also provides links to other providers in their network and a list of hospitals and clinics (including integrated behavioral health clinics) that may be able to offer same-day services. 
• The Military Crisis Line: a mental health hotline available to all service members (including the National Guard and Reserve) as well as all veterans. Individuals do not have to be enrolled in VA healthcare or registered with the VA to utilize the Military Crisis Line. To call, dial 1-800-273-8255 and press 1. For those in the hard of hearing and deaf community, dial 711 and then 1-800-273-8255. To text, send a message to 838255. To start an online chat, visit the Veterans Crisis Line website.
• Military One Source: a military website that provides stress-management tips, self-care apps, and other tools that may help individuals with their mental health. Military OneSource also connects users to community-based Military Family Life Counselors.

For family members of those in the military, the Department of Veterans Affairs also suggests a variety of techniques, programs, and services that may be beneficial for mental health support. One of these resources—which can be helpful to members of the military and their family members alike—is talk therapy. 

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Therapy for military family members 

Therapy can be a valuable resource for active members of the military, veterans, and their family members. For military members experiencing signs of PTSD or other trauma-related conditions, approaches like exposure therapy, eye movement desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR), and cognitive processing therapy (CPT) may all be helpful in addressing symptoms. 

In addition, cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) can help military members, veterans, or their family members with many of the mental and emotional health challenges they might be experiencing. CBT is one of the most common modalities of talk therapy practiced today. It can be used to address symptoms of diagnosable conditions depression and anxiety as well as other challenges like trauma, family conflict, or low self-esteem. It works by helping the individual learn to recognize and then shift distorted thought patterns. 

While many types of talk therapy can be helpful for military members and their families, in-person therapy may not always be convenient, comfortable, or available to everyone. Military families in particular may need to relocate frequently as assignments change or as they get moved to new bases. This could make maintaining a relationship with an in-person therapist or commuting to face-to-face therapy sessions difficult. In such cases, online therapy could be a more convenient option. 

Research suggests that online therapy can be as effective as in-person therapy in many situations. That means that service members or their loved ones may benefit from taking advantage of online care to address the mental health challenges they may be experiencing.