Military Stress: Causes, Effects, and Coping

Published on: 22 Oct 2024
Clinically Reviewed by Bisma Anwar, LMHC
Military Stress

Military stress is caused by the incredible psychological strain and demands service members face during their time in the military. 

Stress in the military vastly differs from civilian stress, which typically stems from basic daily life challenges — like work, common relationship struggles, financial stress, and more. The stress faced by those in the military involves intense, daunting experiences — like being deployed, fighting in combat, being separated from loved ones, and needing to adapt to changing environments and roles in an instant. Factors like these create a high-pressure environment that can take a significant toll on the mental and emotional health of soldiers and military personnel. 

Research on how many service members experience post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) at some point in life varies. Some estimates suggest between 14% – 16% of Iraq and Afghanistan veterans screen positive for PTSD, but other studies show the rate can be as high as 20% – 30%.   

Causes of Military Stress

Before you can learn how to deal with it, it’s important to look at the causes of stress in the military. As noted, the wide range of psychological and emotional challenges service members face is drastically different from the typical stressors civilians encounter in everyday life. 

Military stress is compounded by multiple unique factors, like deployment to combat zones, long separations from families, extreme exposure to high-risk situations, and difficulty transitioning back to civilian life after deployment or when their time in the military is up.

Understanding as much as possible about the causes of military stress makes it easier to find support and a solution.

Deployment and combat exposure

Deployment to conflict zones and combat exposure are obvious stressors for active duty members of the military. Working in a warzone requires constant vigilance — there’s fear of severe injury or death and witnessing traumatic events. Any one of these on their own could cause an acute stress reaction or PTSD, and members of the military often face a combination of several factors at once.

Combat is high-pressure and unpredictable. It requires split-second life-or-death decisions. The stress of that environment can cause moral and ethical dilemmas, and the psychological scars can be tough to heal.

Separation from family and loved ones

Many service members spend long times away from family and loved ones. Being disconnected like that can cause feelings of loneliness, isolation, and anxiety in the military — and then there’s the uncertainty about safety and well-being, especially when deployed in a conflict zone.

High-risk and high-pressure environment

Military personnel often operate in high-risk environments where the stakes are incredibly dangerous. Whether conducting a time-sensitive mission or handling sophisticated weaponry, high-pressure situations demand physical and mental performance that can be stressful in multiple ways.

Remaining constantly aware of potential threats, like enemy attacks or explosives, causes a perpetual state of alertness, also known as hypervigilance. The relentless pressure can cause burnout, anxiety, depression, and stress-related disorders.

Transition to civilian life

Transitioning to civilian life after a military career is often a challenging experience that can lead to post-deployment syndrome. While trying to integrate back into civilian society, many service members experience a loss of identity or purpose, or they struggle to find employment that matches their skills.

A common issue is trying to adjust to the highly structured nature of military life, which is often lacking in the civilian world. This can make days feel overwhelming and disorienting. Some service members also find the lack of camaraderie in civilian life isolating and depressing.

“For plenty of military members, the military is all that they’ve known — typically from an incredibly young age. So, transitioning into civilian life incorporates many unknowns. Change is scary, especially when we are talking about changing bigger ticket items like our friends, our sense of community, and understanding the differing rules and expectations of civilian work and school.”

Talkspace psychiatrist Dr. Meaghan Rice, PsyD, LPC

The Effects of Military Stress Left Unaddressed 

When military stress goes unaddressed, it can have profound, far-reaching effects that seriously impact the lives of service members and their families.

Those who serve in the military face intense pressure and have experiences that most people can’t understand. When stress isn’t managed effectively, it can lead to a range of mental, physical, and interpersonal challenges.

Mental health issues

The most significant impact of military stress is the development of veteran and military mental health issues. Exposure to stressful environments like combat or high-risk situations can cause PTSD, depression, anxiety, and substance abuse. 

Mental health issues can manifest through a variety of symptoms, including: 

  • Flashbacks
  • Nightmares
  • Hypervigilance
  • Avoidance behaviors
  • Social withdrawal
  • Hopelessness
  • Anger
  • Emotional numbness
  • Increased risk of self-harm 
  • Suicidal ideation or tendencies 

Physical health problems

Stress in the military can also impact physical health. Chronic stress is a known contributor to a range of physical ailments like cardiovascular disease, gastrointestinal problems, and weakened immune function. Prolonged stress response in the body releases hormones — like cortisol — which can cause long-term damage.

The physical demands of the military can also lead to musculoskeletal injuries, chronic pain, fatigue, and general deteriorated physical health.

Relationship strain

Military stress can strain personal relationships with family and loved ones. Families must cope with the emotional distance that’s so common for service members. The prevalence of PTSD and depression can make it challenging to connect with partners, children, friends, parents, or any other family members. 

Not only is the divorce rate higher for members of the military than any other group, research suggests veterans are less likely to marry and more likely to divorce after they’ve been deployed when compared to non-deployed members.  

“The military has high divorce rates because of how much strain is put on relationships. Typically, long distance is how relationships develop or become something that the relationship encounters throughout the military career. Long distance shifts the household weight from one partner to the military spouse, and when you combine unequal household weight with the inability to meet certain love languages — physical touch, quality time, or acts of service — the impact is pretty significant.”

Talkspace psychiatrist Dr. Meaghan Rice, PsyD, LPC

Occupational difficulties

Many military service members experience occupational difficulties both during and after their service. For active duty personnel, the stress of their job can impair concentration, performance, productivity, and decision-making. High-stress levels can also potentially impact mission success and safety. 

Veterans transitioning back to civilian life might face the lingering impact of stress-related disorders that negatively affect their ability to get and hold down a job.

How to Cope with Military Stress

Although challenging, learning to cope with military stress is doable — and it’s critical for maintaining mental, emotional, and physical well-being. The stressors linked to military service are unique. Several practical strategies can help.  

Tips for coping with military stress:

  • Practice mindfulness and meditation: Mindfulness practices can help service members stay grounded. Meditation is proven to reduce stress by focusing on the present moment. Techniques teach you to calm the mind, reduce anxiety, and enhance emotional regulation.
  • Get active: Engaging in physical exercise is a powerful stress reliever since exercise releases endorphins that naturally fight stress. Working out improves mood, increases energy levels, and promotes overall health. Research shows it can reduce tension, anger, depression, and other mental conditions.  
  • Seek social support: Building and maintaining a solid support network of friends, family, and other service members can provide emotional comfort and reduce feelings of isolation.
  • Use the military support services available: Military personnel have access to support services like counseling, mental health programs, peer support groups, and individual therapy.  
  • Get good sleep: Quality sleep is critical for physical and mental recovery, and establishing a consistent, healthy sleep schedule can mitigate the negative impact of stress.
  • Learn and use effective coping techniques: Proven effective coping strategies like deep breathing exercises, journaling, and progressive muscle relaxation can help you manage stress and maintain emotional balance.
  • Reduce or eliminate alcohol and substance use: It can be tempting to use alcohol or other substances to relieve stress and cope, but the reality is this won’t be effective in the long term. Drugs and alcohol can exacerbate stress and cause a host of other mental and physical issues.
  • Set boundaries: Setting personal and professional boundaries can prevent burnout, and learning when and how to say no is crucial when managing stress.
  • Practice gratitude: Research proves that gratitude is good for mental health. Keeping a gratitude journal or reflecting on positive experiences throughout your day can help you shift your focus from stress to having a positive outlook.
  • Get professional help: If stress has become too overwhelming to deal with on your own, seeking help from a therapist is essential. Support from an experienced, licensed mental health professional means you can access tailored strategies and solutions specific to your needs.

Combating Stress with Professional Support

Getting professional support can be a vital resource when combating military stress. Therapy, combined with personal coping strategies, is a powerful way to overcome anxiety, depression, or any other stress-related condition so you can live life to the fullest.

Talkspace offers online therapy for veterans or active duty military that is convenient and affordable. We’re here to provide essential mental healthcare to support you on your journey to find balance and peace. Our therapists are skilled, experienced, and qualified to treat the types of stress, PTSD, anxiety, trauma, depression, and other conditions service members often experience. 

Reach out to Talkspace today to learn how you can get online therapy covered by TRICARE insurance.

Sources:

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  2. Reisman M. PTSD treatment for veterans: What’s working, what’s new, and what’s next. PubMed Central (PMC). Published October 1, 2016. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5047000/. Accessed August 21, 2024.
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  4. Barnhill J. Why divorce is particularly hard on military families. Military.com. https://www.military.com/daily-news/opinions/2023/06/22/why-divorce-particularly-hard-military-families.html. Published April 22, 2024. Accessed August 21, 2024
  5.  Pethrus CM, Reutfors J, Johansson K, et al. Marriage and divorce after military deployment to Afghanistan: A matched cohort study from Sweden. PLoS ONE. 2019;14(2):e0207981. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0207981. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6358058/. Accessed August 21, 2024.
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  7. Basso JC, Suzuki WA. The effects of acute exercise on mood, cognition, neurophysiology, and neurochemical pathways: a review. Brain Plasticity. 2017;2(2):127-152. doi:10.3233/bpl-160040. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5928534/. Accessed August 21, 2024.
  8. Komase Y, Watanabe K, Hori D, et al. Effects of gratitude intervention on mental health and well-being among workers: A systematic review. Journal of Occupational Health. 2021;63(1). doi:10.1002/1348-9585.12290. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8582291/. Accessed August 21, 2024.

Talkspace articles are written by experienced mental health-wellness contributors; they are grounded in scientific research and evidence-based practices. Articles are extensively reviewed by our team of clinical experts (therapists and psychiatrists of various specialties) to ensure content is accurate and on par with current industry standards.

Our goal at Talkspace is to provide the most up-to-date, valuable, and objective information on mental health-related topics in order to help readers make informed decisions.

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