Dealing with the challenges of a military lifestyle can create stress for many wives. Moving away from family and friends, adjusting to a new place, dealing with your husband's long deployments and supporting him in the transition when he comes home can take a toll on your emotional health. Prolonged stress can lead to anxiety and even depression. Combat duty in Iraq was significantly linked to a decrease in marital satisfaction, according to a study conducted by Walter Reed Army Institute of Research Land Combat, .Although the results from spouse surveys "indicated that spouses experience similar rates of depression as Soldiers," the study also found that the spouses seek mental health care at a greater rate than military personnel do.
Step 1
Maintain any available communication. Prepare for your husband's deployment as a family and discuss your feelings about his imminent departure. The Military Family Support Network suggests that you create lasting memories before he deploys. Actively supporting your husband and remaining in contact with him can help to diffuse some stress. In addition to communicating through the Internet, write letters on paper, send care packages and talk to him on the phone. Talk about what's happening at home; don't ask for his location or mission details.
Step 2
Treat yourself and your family. Care for yourself so that you can support your husband and your children. Regularly take time to do something that relaxes you; get a massage or take a trip to see friends and family. The support from loved ones can help you to rest, provide comfort and relieve some of your stress. Allow friends or family to help shoulder some of the responsibilities with the household or your children.
Step 3
Develop a new skill or try a new activity. Enroll in an academic course or finish your degree. The Military Spouse Career Advancement Accounts program (MyCAA) provides military spouses with financial assistance. The National Military Family Association and other military support associations also offer scholarships. Try to divert your focus from worrying about your husband's safety to a productive activity. Relieve tension and improve your emotional health, mood and concentration by taking exercise classes.
Step 4
Join a support group. Take comfort in empathizing with other women who understand the challenges of the military lifestyle and learn new ways to cope. Reuters journalist Edith Honan reports that the Lifetime show, "Army Wives," may help to reduce stress. Military wives describe how the show allows them to bond with each other through similar experiences. Honan says military spouses also "...appreciate the way it celebrates their sacrifices in front of a civilian audience..."
Step 5
Seek emotional or physical help. Don't be afraid to ask for child care assistance or request professional counseling. The Morale, Welfare and Recreation (MWR) community centers offer child care services and stress management classes. The military offers mental health services through Tricare. So use the resources at your disposal to find a therapist.
References
- "Impact of Combat Duty in Iraq and Afghanistan on Family Functioning: Findings from the Walter Reed Army Institute of Research Land Combat Study"; C. Castro, K. Eaton, C. Hoge; 2006.
- Reuters: Not Just TV, "Army Wives" Eases Stress on Spouses
- Help Guide: Understanding Stress
- Help Guide: Stress Management
- Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder Military Support: When a Family Member Is Deployed
