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Cpl. Anthony Gray practices yoga with Marine Wing Headquarters Squadron 1, 1st Marine Aircraft Wing, on Camp Foster, Okinawa, Japan, April 13, 2018. Over 100 Marines and Sailors with MWHS-1 participated in this event in order to build camaraderie and unit cohesion. Gray, from Muscatine, Iowa, is an intelligence specialist with MWHS-1. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Lance Cpl. Alexia Lythos)
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Military Health System Mental Health Hub

Mental Health is health. The Military Health System has many resources available to help service members, families, or veterans who are struggling with mental health challenges.

Military families' lives are generally very different from others. Service members may be subject to frequent relocations, deployments, and stressful experiences due to combat and time away from their families. Families cope with additional stressors when their loved ones are deployed, managing family life on the home front. Traumatic events such as combat, assault, or disasters can have long-lasting negative effects like trouble sleeping, increased anger, nightmares, anxiety, and alcohol and drug abuse.

Protecting, optimizing, and defending mental health needs is vital to the well-being and readiness of our military force. Seeking help is a sign of strength and a critical element of individual performance and overall readiness. 

Find Mental Health Services Near You

You are not alone.

If you're concerned that you or a loved one may be experiencing mental illness, you are not alone. Mental health is an important part of overall health and well-being, yet mental illness affects millions of people worldwide. Mental health disorders include anxiety, depression, seasonal affective disorder, or more serious illnesses as bipolar disorder, major depression, schizophrenia, PTSD, and more. Unfortunately, most people with mental illness do not receive mental health services that they need.

Do what feels right for you.

There isn't one way to think or feel or act. The important thing is to take advantage of all mental health care resources. Remember that every moment in time can affect you and others differently. Treatment is available, and it's okay to ask for help.

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Article Around MHS
Sep 7, 2023

Dog Jog for Life: Unlocking the Power of Pets in Suicide Prevention

For Suicide Prevention Month, emphasize the importance of escorting individuals in need to the best available help, ensuring they receive the assistance they require. However, in our efforts to support human lives, we sometimes overlook a remarkable source of solace and strength—our pets.  (Photo By Russell Jordan)

A U.S. Army public affairs officer highlights the importance of dogs in mental health while promoting "Dog Jog for Life," an event that embodies the spirit of suicide prevention, intervention, and postvention at U.S. Army Garrison Rheinland-Pfalz. “Our dogs often understand our moods better than we do ourselves. They offer us empathy, share in our ...

Article Around MHS
Jul 25, 2023

Defense Public Health Experts Investigate If Minority Group Service Members are More Likely to Experience Behavioral Health Problems

A recent Department of Defense study found American Indian and Alaska Native U.S. Army Soldiers had higher rates of suicidal ideation than white soldiers. The DOD is investigating behavioral health disparities among minority groups in the military to see how they might mirror similar disparities in the civilian population. (Graphic illustration: Steven Basso, Defense Centers for Public Health-Aberdeen)

U.S. public health agencies such as the National Institute of Mental Health have recognized that certain minority groups appear to experience greater risk for certain behavioral health disorders. The higher rates of adverse health problems in minority groups are often referred to as “disparities.”

Article Around MHS
Jul 18, 2023

Tips for Managing Post-PCS Stress

PCS Stress inforgraphic

Moving season is in full swing for many military families. The process of a Permanent Change of Station, or PCS, can be both exciting and stressful. We've got some tips to help ease the rigors of relocation.

Article Around MHS
Jul 6, 2023

Uniformed Services University Psychiatrists Develop Global Disaster and Preventive Psychiatry Training for American Psychiatric Association

The Uniformed Services University, in conjunction with the American Psychiatric Association, has created a new course titled "Disaster and Prevention Psychiatry: Protecting Health and Fostering Community Resilience." USU's new course was created through its department of psychiatry and the Center for the Study of Traumatic Stress in conjunction with the APA. (Photo: Uniformed Services University)

In the wake of rising global disasters and their impact on the population, the Uniformed Services University, in conjunction with the American Psychiatric Association, has created a first-of-its-kind course to understand and prepare for such crises.

Article Around MHS
May 26, 2023

Walter Reed Expert Shares Five Ways to Prioritize Mental Health

Dr. Diaz discusses the importance of mental fitness with U.S. Army Pvt. 2 Kaliyah Rowan at the Mental Fitness Information table during Staff Resiliency Week at Walter Reed. Diaz says prioritizing mental health is key to building resilience, and shared five ways staff members can do just that in honor of Mental Health Awareness Month. (Photo by U.S. Navy Petty Officer 1st Class Jesse Sharpe, Walter Reed National Military Medical Center)

In today's fast-paced health care environment, it's more important than ever to prioritize mental health to build resilience, and in honor of National Mental Health Awareness Month and Staff Resiliency Week at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center, Dr. Kristine Diaz, a personnel psychologist, shares five ways staff members can prioritize their ...

Last Updated: April 22, 2024
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