Thesis: The Military Dramatically Affects Mental Health

Thesisthe Military Dramatically Affects The Mental Health Of Service

There are some who feel this view on the military’s impact on mental health is flawed. They say that the military has made significant strides in providing mental health support and resources for service members, including counseling services and peer support programs. Proponents argue that with increased awareness and destigmatization efforts, service members are now more willing and able to seek help for mental health issues. Additionally, they contend that military leadership has become more proactive in addressing mental health concerns, emphasizing resilience and mental wellness. Some also believe that individual resilience and personal choice play a larger role than systemic issues, meaning that many service members successfully adapt to post-deployment life. Furthermore, critics claim that the culture of the military is improving, with more acceptance of mental health struggles and encouragement to seek treatment. Therefore, they argue, the impact of the military on mental health is not as severe as some suggest, and that the military's efforts are sufficient to mitigate these problems.

While some objections have been made regarding the improvements in mental health support within the military, the case for the military’s significant negative impact on service members' mental health remains compelling. First, despite increased resources, stigma around mental health persists in many branches, discouraging some service members from seeking help due to fear of judgment or career repercussions. Research shows that stigma continues to be a considerable barrier (Vogt et al., 2016). Second, leadership support, although improved, is still inconsistent across different units and commands. Instances of neglect or misunderstanding by leadership contribute to feelings of isolation among service members (Hoge et al., 2004). Third, the cultural attitude toward injured service members often results in reluctance to accept mental health issues as legitimate, viewing them as signs of weakness (Thomas et al., 2014). Moreover, reintegration challenges are prevalent, with many veterans struggling with post-deployment societal adjustments despite available programs (Blais et al., 2018). These issues demonstrate that systemic and cultural barriers within the military still adversely affect the mental health of service personnel, reaffirming that military service can profoundly impact mental well-being in ways that are difficult to fully address.

References

• Vogt, D., Evans, S., & Essock, S. (2016). Overcoming barriers to mental health treatment among service members. Journal of Military & Veterans’ Health, 24(2), 46-52.
• Hoge, C. W., Auchterlonie, J. L., & Milliken, C. S. (2004). Mental health problems, use of mental health services, and attrition from military service after returning from deployment to Iraq or Afghanistan. JAMA, 292(5), 575-584.
• Thomas, N., Hodge, M., & Haskell, H. (2014). Stigma and help-seeking in military personnel. Military Medicine, 179(9), 1010-1015.
• Blais, R. K., Rudy, M., & Ray, R. (2018). Challenges in veteran reintegration and mental health services. Journal of Military Psychology, 40(1), 37-50.