Skip subpage navigation
Being mentally fit is the ability to integrate and improve cognitive, emotional, and behavioral practices. Staying mission-ready means having a healthy, high functioning mind.
Mental health and mental toughness are not binary-options with an “on/off switch” – they exist on a spectrum, and you can train the mind and learn skills to improve. Mental health takes practice and training. Just like any other part of your body, the more you exercise it, the stronger and more resilient it gets.
Emotions are part of mental health. We all have them for a reason, and suppressing them is not the answer. Find constructive ways to express feelings and cope with difficult emotions that otherwise could affect mission readiness.
Factors that May Affect Your Mental Health Wellness |
Anger |
Anger is a feeling that can range from mild irritation to intense annoyance to rage. It may be a natural response when possible harm is anticipated or when another person has done something wrong or harmful.
|
Anxiety |
Individuals living with anxiety live in a world of "what if?" It's often a world of hypervigilance and worst case scenarios.
|
Depression |
Depression affects your body, actions, thoughts, and mood. Left untreated, depression can last for days, months, or years. Depression is more serious than just feeling sad. Depression affects all areas of life and ranges from mild mood swings to severe negative feelings that disrupt daily life.
|
Sexual Trauma |
Sexual trauma is any sexual activity where someone is involved against his or her will -- may have been pressured into sexual activities, may have been unable to consent to sexual activities (for example, when intoxicated), or may have been physically forced into sexual activities.
|
Sleep |
Good sleep is vital to good health. Sleep helps people cope with stress, solve problems, and recover from illness or injury. Lack of sleep can lead to drowsiness, irritability, lack of concentration, memory and physical problems.
|
Spirituality |
Different factors can challenge individuals' long held beliefs. In the face of difficulty, many, often for the first time, will give serious consideration to spiritual concerns. Still others find their life experiences strengthen their belief system, whether it has a spiritual component or not.
|
Stress |
Stress comes in two varieties: Good stress and bad stress. Life stress involves all mental burdens that affect an individual.
|
Suicide Prevention |
Suicide is a serious public health concern, but is preventable.
|
Work Environments |
Work environments and requirements vary significantly. Praiseworthy skills in one occupation may be germane or likely counterproductive in another. |
Signs of Distress
Some signs of distress could include:
- Drinking more heavily than normal
- Agitation or anger
- Withdrawing from families and friends
- Difficulty concentrating
- Sadness or depression
Many of these tips may seem like common sense, but when faced with challenging life situations these things are often the first things that get neglected.
When you neglect your mental health, it's natural to deny there's anything wrong. Sometimes the last person to recognize symptoms is the one who needs help. It's important to recognize symptoms in friends, loved ones or oneself and to say something.
You also may be interested in...
Video
Sep 19, 2023
TRICARE covers seven different types of mental health providers. This video gives a brief overview of some of the mental health providers and also discusses whether you will need a referral.
Article Around MHS
Oct 13, 2022
A new specialty adjudicative branch of the Defense Counterintelligence and Security Agency Consolidated Adjudications Service focusing in behavioral science is expediting security clearance adjudications, as the agency continues its campaign to destigmatize mental health counseling and treatment in relation to the adjudication of national security ...
Article
May 25, 2022
“No one is immune to burnout. Healthcare providers are very good at rescuing others. We train for it and practice it daily. Unfortunately, we often do so at the expense of our own health and wellness.”
Article
May 24, 2022
Now more than ever, health care providers should take time to take care of themselves and avoid burnout.
Article
May 24, 2022
The Military Health System offers a wide variety of mental health care options. But figuring out who is the best person to talk to can seem overwhelming. There are psychiatrists and psychologists, counselors and therapists. Here's a rundown of who does what.
Article
May 24, 2022
The good news is that burnout can be mitigated. There are numerous steps that individuals and leaders can take to reduce burnout and its impact.
Article Around MHS
May 18, 2022
May is National Mental Health Awareness Month.
Article
Apr 22, 2022
Life is full of ups and downs. But sometimes life events—financial strain, relationships, isolation, emotional or sexual abuse, stress, and misuse or abuse of alcohol or drugs—can lead to depression, anxiety, and thoughts of suicide for some. It’s important to remember that you are not alone.
Article Around MHS
Apr 7, 2022
As the Army once again recognizes April as Sexual Assault Awareness and Prevention Month, its policy and processes for working through sexual harassment and sexual assault within its workforce are evolving to reflect lessons learned during the past 10 years
Article
Feb 9, 2022
Forward-deployed service members don’t always have the luxury of optimal sleep. But good strategies to manage sleep loss can help mitigate the impact on performance and readiness.
Article Around MHS
Jan 13, 2022
Sustained mental health is critical to establishing and maintaining a medically ready force, and sleep can play a part in protecting that readiness.
Article Around MHS
Jan 6, 2022
The Operational Stress Control (OSC) Program, a United States Navy program the Coast Guard’s Office of Health, Safety and Work-Life recently adopted, is running a series of four-day, virtual and in-person trainings to help our members recognize and better manage stress.
Article Around MHS
Jan 4, 2022
Holiday blues, seasonal depression, and other terms have been used to describe what is now known as Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD), and more often than not, many factors play a role on an individual’s ability to be affected by this disorder each year around the holidays.
You are leaving Health.mil
The appearance of hyperlinks does not constitute endorsement by the Department of Defense of non-U.S. Government sites or the information, products, or services contained therein. Although the Defense Health Agency may or may not use these sites as additional distribution channels for Department of Defense information, it does not exercise editorial control over all of the information that you may find at these locations. Such links are provided consistent with the stated purpose of this website.
You are leaving Health.mil
View the external links disclaimer.
Last Updated: June 21, 2024