Embracing uncertainty is the essence of military life. A perpetually unsettled life with deployments at short notice, regular transfers, disrupted family time and being mostly on the move, impacts the life of both the soldier and his family. With this, the added fear of safety and security, ensures the lady of the house lives in a constant state of anxiety.
Being married to a soldier means sustaining a family despite frequent moves, distance from kin networks, managing demands of military culture, but mainly, deployment of a spouse requires fortitude, adaptability and resilience. An army wife is an epitome of this paradigm.
A military wife is looked upon for her courage, grace, compassion, empathy, strength and confidence. She’s a pillar of strength for her family and that she calmly holds the fort, while her soldier is away. These women are not only managing their homes, but are also responsible for mentoring other soldiers’ wives. Being a soldiers’ wife requires a sound state of mind, mental well-being therefore, of a military wife, is not only important but critical.
The armed forces as an organization has always had a strong focus on the overall well-being of its soldiers and their families. It ensures that the women have both, a formal and informal support system within the organization, who they can rely on at all times. Guidance and counseling sessions and vocational training courses to enhance skills are imparted to all women, for their empowerment. The ladies are taught to be self-reliant, confident and empowered with the ability to face any adversaries.f
While many military spouses successfully manage the stress of maintaining their work-life balance during deployment or otherwise, there are some who struggle to cope. The constant change in lifestyle becomes taxing for these women and mental health issues such as anxiety, stress, depression, mood swings, etc emerge.
Mental health depicts the overall psychological well-being of a person and can affect their daily life, relationships and health. Early signs of poor mental health may include withdrawal from social circles, eating disorders, low energy, inability to complete tasks at hand, negative thoughts and the likes.
There are numerous ways to keep one away from these signs and lead a healthy life. First and foremost, remember to put yourself first. Living together or apart, give your body and mind the attention it deserves. If you are healthy, you will be able to keep your family healthy,
There are other innumerable ways to manage your mental health, such as:
- Start your day with a smile
- Take time out for yourself
- Set a personal goal
- Practice yoga or any other form of mediation
- Exercise
- Practice a hobby
- Start a new project
- Listen to music
- Speak to someone who makes you happy
- Think less negative thoughts; talk more positive talks
- Communicate your thoughts to your partner (whenever there is connectivity)
- Plan outings with friends & family
- Get enough sleep
Most importantly, remember that you are not alone. Mental health is not a sign of weakness, it is something that everyone has and must embrace. Don’t try to snap out of it; make time for it and look after it. In the end, your well-being is in your hands, and you must always put yourself first. Chin up and move ahead.
Blog by Sakshi Pandey
4 Comments
Very well articulated..could relate to this one a lot…keep posting… looking forward for more…
Very well written. All Army wives should read
So important to address mental health ( which is often ignored) especially for military wives! A lot that one can try to implement from here 🙂
Very true n expressed beautifully 🌺like father like daughter 🥰🥰