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Military Health System

Hurricane Milton & Hurricane Helene

Emergency procedures are in place in multiple states due to Hurricane Milton & Hurricane Helene. >>Learn More

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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Sep 18, 2023

Soldier Helps Save Life of Suicide Attempt Victim

U.S. Army Staff Sgt. Ta’ Quesha S. Abson, an instructor in the Practical Nurse Course Phase II at Walter Reed, was recently recognized for helping to save the life of a suicide-attempt victim while she was on temporary duty assignment at Fort Liberty, North Carolina in August. (Courtesy Photo)

August 8 began like most days for U.S. Army Staff Sgt. Ta’ Quesha S. Abson as she headed to work to fulfill her military duties. But as fate would have it, the day was far from usual for her. It would be the day that her actions helped save a life.

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Preventing Suicide Through Social Connectedness

Suicide is a significant public health issue that impacts individuals, families, communities and society at large. Many risk and protective factors play an integral role in the prevention of suicide, including social connectedness, which occurs when people or groups are engaged in relationships that create a sense of belonging and being cared for, valued and supported. (Defense Centers for Public Health-Aberdeen graphic illustration by Jason Embrey)

Suicide is a significant public health issue that impacts individuals, families, communities and society at large. The issue is also tied to what the U.S. Surgeon General, Dr. Vevek Murthy, called an “Epidemic of Loneliness and Isolation” in a May health advisory that calls for a National Strategy to Advance Social Connection.

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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 ...

Fact Sheet
Aug 30, 2023

Virtual Hope Box App

.PDF | 778.13 KB

The Virtual Hope Box is a smartphone application designed for patients and their behavioral health providers as an accessory to treatment. The VHB contains simple tools to help patients with coping, relaxation, distraction and positive thinking.

Fact Sheet
Aug 30, 2023

Breathe2Relax App

.PDF | 384.67 KB

Initially designed for the military community but beneficial for use by anyone, the relaxation app trains you on the “belly breathing” technique that has proven benefits for your overall mental health. Use the app’s breathing exercises to learn and practice the breathing technique on your own or as part of a stress management program supervised by ...

Last Updated: October 16, 2024
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