Dealing with Depression During a Deployment

Military life is difficult on an individual serving in the military and on the family of a service member as well. While just the general issues of deployment can make family life tough and is difficult on individuals in the family, when a depressive disorder is present in one or more of those family members- it makes deployment even harder.

After dealing with Bi-Polar disorder for over half of my life, I thought I had it under control- until my husband deployed. It was then that I discovered that while deployment and military life is challenging for anyone- for those with a depressive or mood disorder, deployment can seem like the end of life as you know it.

The problem with deployment for those with mood disorders, is the simple fact that when a service member deploys, it changes the entire dynamic and function of a household. While this occurs for anyone who deals with military life and deployment, it can wreak havoc on a person with depression or another mood disorder. The reason for this is quite simple, many people who are battling with depression or another mood disorder need to have stability and need to be able to rely on those closest to them.

When a deployment happens, all stability can be lost- at least temporarily- and it's hard to be able to rely on someone close to you whenever they're halfway around the world. When you're already battling a mood disorder, you have to contend with your normal mood swings or other issues- along with the fact that you're worried for your loved one's safety, dealing with the fact that everyone in the household now has to take on more responsibility to make up for the loved one's absence, and then the insecurities and fears that the deployment brings to the entire family unit.

For my personally, my husband's deployment brought about severe insecurity, rapid-cycling mood swings (a common trait for those with Bi-Polar disorder when in a high-stress situation) and my normal fears were magnified a thousand times. I found that communicating with my husband honestly about what I was going through was far better than not letting him know that I wasn't doing "just ducky," no matter how much I wanted to pretend I was.

Honest communication is of utmost importance between loved ones- before, during and after a deployment. In a high-stress situation like deployment, you may have a support system and so may your service member, but you still need to be able to be honest with each other about what's going on in regards to your feelings about the deployment and how you are both handling it. This is especially true for couples during a deployment.

Individual counseling and even family or couple's counseling can be a major benefit before, during and after a deployment as well. Getting fears and misunderstandings out into the open can really help keep your family together during the deployment and the adjustment period after he or she comes home, when you're all learning to live together again. Individual and/or family counseling for the family members at home during a deployment can also help you all to deal with your emotions and fears and keep you aware of any danger signs.

Keeping yourself busy can help with a depressive or mood disorder when you're going through the deployment of a loved one. Don't over-schedule and over-extend yourself to the point that you have no time to even breathe, but do make sure you've got a relatively active schedule. Find new hobbies, spend time with family or friends, go sight-seeing- just find things to do that will help keep you busy, put you in a better frame of mind and keep you from dwelling on your loved one's absence and worrying about whether or not they are safe.

Make use of military resources for family members on the home-front. There are plenty of military-supported support groups for spouses, parents, children and other family members of deployed service members. Make use of them. Call your local base for information about family support services.

Another easy to use resource for finding help during a deployment is Military OneSource. Military OneSource is a separate service, but they have numerous pamphlets, websites, and other items of use to family members. You can call their hot line anytime of day or night will receive a person to talk to who can refer you to the best services for you. They can even help facilitate mental health or other support referrals through Tricare or other sources. You can contact Military OneSource either by phone, at: 1-800-342-9647or online at: www.militaryonesource.com.

Take care of yourself. Taking care of yourself physically will affect your emotional health positively during a deployment. Make sure that you are getting enough sleep, eating health foods and getting enough exercise. Many times, mood disorders or depressive disorders are made worse when our bodies are run-down and under stress. Taking care of your physical self will make you feel better and will help you to be able to endure the stresses of your loved one's deployment.

The best thing someone with a depressive disorder or other mood disorder can do for themselves while their loved one is deployed is to try to stay positive. And don't be ashamed or afraid to ask for help if you need it, that's what support groups and other resources are for. Sometimes it might take extra counseling or medication to help get you through the stress of deployment, there's absolutely nothing wrong with that. Remember that the the deployment isn't forever and that your loved one will be home before you know it!