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Stress Reduction Techniques for High Stress Operations

Any role in the military can be stressful. However, for those like special operators, explosive ordinance technicians, submariners, aviators, and others, stress is a significant part of the job. The extreme stress faced by these warriors and others can lead to psychological health concerns. Recent research focusing on special operations forces highlights the risks faced by service members working in any high-stress role. Heavy physical, mental, and emotional strain can lead to psychological health concerns. These can include depression, anxiety, or posttraumatic stress disorder. It is important for all warriors to learn stress-management techniques. Stress can cause anxiety, depression, trouble sleeping, irritability, heavy drinking, or other concerns. If you experience any of these symptoms, or have other concerns, talk to a health care provider now. Your provider can address your concerns and help you develop a stress-management plan. Getting care early helps you stay mission ready. It also avoids new or worsening symptoms.

The Effects of Stress on SOF

SOF personnel are an example of service members supporting high-stress operations. The nature of their work is sensitive, and they make frequent deployments, often on short notice. They have strong resilience skills because of SOF selection screenings and their follow-on training. However, they aren't immune to the effects of high-stress operations. Recent research shows a higher number of symptoms associated with PTSD among members of SOF when compared to members of conventional units. In addition, a greater proportion of SOF personnel exceeded the threshold for diagnosis of probable PTSD in comparison to conventional forces. Others, like drone pilots, face similar stressors. Executing critical missions, dealing with life-and-death decisions, and safeguarding classified information all adds up. That makes robust skills for managing stress crucial if you're in these types of roles.

Skills That Aid Job Performance Under High Stress

The ability to perform under high stress is critical to mission readiness. Service members, like special operators, use stress inoculation training to stay focused and effective when the going gets tough. This type of training teaches you skills to manage stress responses at critical times by:

Controlling emotions. Reduce negative thinking and fear. This avoids distracting thoughts during a critical mission.
Calming physical reactions to stress. Use regular, slow breathing from your diaphragm and progressive muscle relaxation. This reduces your heart rate and anxiety.
Training with repetition. Repeat tasks that require a consistent response until you can do them on autopilot.
Visualizing tasks. Envision successfully using your skills in action right before you need them.
Learning prioritization. Order tasks to deal with information overload and manage multiple high-priority assignments at the same time.
Building team skills. Communicate, give constructive feedback, coordinate group efforts, and ask for help when needed.

Additional skills woven into service-specific trainings for high-stress operations include:

Goal setting
Persistence
Situational awareness
Attentional conditioning
Muscle control

Stress Reduction Techniques

All warriors with high-stress jobs can benefit from basic stress-reduction techniques. To reduce stress:

Exercise regularly. Cardio and strength training reduce stress levels and keep you mission ready.
Get good sleep. Poor sleep or not enough sleep has a significant negative impact on wellbeing.
Practice tactical napping when regular sleep is not possible. Tactical napping, like brief periods of sleep or taking a nap before a period of unavoidable sleep loss, can help with stress reduction.
Eat healthy. A good diet helps keep your body and mind in shape.
Participate in relaxing activities. Breathing-based meditation and yoga, for example, can improve symptoms and reduce anxiety.
Stay connected. The support of friends and family improves psychological health when facing stress.

Remember, reaching out is a sign of strength. If you or a loved one needs additional support, contact the Psychological Health Resource Center 24/7 to confidentially speak with trained health resource consultants. Call 866-966-1020 or use the Live Chat.

Remember, 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline provides 24/7, free and confidential support via phone or chat for people in distress, resources for you or your loved ones, and best practices for professionals. For the Military/Veterans Crisis Line, dial 988 and press 1 or text 838255. You can also chat online.

Are you calling the Military/Veterans Crisis Line from overseas? The country code to reach the United States will be required for each of these numbers, depending on your location.

Europe, call: 844-702-5495 or DSN 988
Pacific, call: 844-702-5493 or DSN 988
Southwest Asia, call: 855-422-7719 or DSN 988

If you are in immediate danger of suicide, call 911.

You can also see a list of key psychological health resources here.

Additional Resources

Sources

Dretsch, M. N., Neff, D., Caserta, R., Deagle, E., Hoge, C. W., & Adler, A. B. (2020). Rates of behavioral health conditions and health risk behaviors in operators and support personnel in US special operations forces. Psychiatry, 83(4), 358-374.
Frueh, B. C., Madan, A., Fowler, J. C., Stomberg, S., Bradshaw, M., Kelly, K., ... & Beidel, D. C. (2020). “Operator syndrome”: A unique constellation of medical and behavioral health-care needs of military special operation forces. The International Journal of Psychiatry in Medicine, 55(4), 281-295.
Garcia, A., Miles, S. R., Reljic, T., Silva, M. A., Dams-O’Connor, K., Belanger, H. G., ... & Richardson, R. (2022). Neurobehavioral symptoms in US Special Operations Forces in rehabilitation after traumatic brain injury: a TBI Model Systems study. Military medicine, 187(11-12), 1412-1421.
Nassif, T. H., Adrian, A. L., Gutierrez, I. A., Dixon, A. C., Rogers, S. L., Jha, A. P., & Adler, A. B. (2023). Optimizing performance and mental skills with mindfulness-based attention training: two field studies with operational units. Military medicine, 188(3-4), e761-e770.
National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH), National Institutes of Health. (n.d.). 5 things you should know about stress.
Chamberlin, R. A., Lunasco, T. K., & Deuster, P. A. (2020). Optimizing Special Operations Forces Operator Talents and Mission Capabilities: Human Performance Optimization and Total Force Fitness Capability-Based Blueprint and Targeting System. Journal of Special Operations Medicine: a Peer Reviewed Journal for SOF Medical Professionals, 20(1), 113-119.
Bayley, P. J., Schulz-Heik, R. J., Tang, J. S., Mathersul, D. C., Avery, T., Wong, M., ... & Seppälä, E. M. (2022). Randomised clinical non-inferiority trial of breathing-based meditation and cognitive processing therapy for symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder in military veterans. Bmj Open, 12(8), e056609.