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Life Challenges
I. Overview
Life Challenges are Both Positive and Negative
People face challenging life situations every day. Often, life situations create positive challenges and serve to help motivate people to push themselves to meet the challenge. However, when a person perceives an event to be a threat to their physical and emotional well-being, they are likely to have a negative reaction to it.
A person’s response to difficult life circumstances depends on a number of factors. These factors include support from friends and family, whether they view the situation as a "challenge to be overcome" verses a "threat," the degree to which they feel in control of the situation, and how committed they are to friends, family, and work.
Role of Leadership in Meeting Life Challenges--General Measures
In the military environment, it is important that leaders recognize the potential impact of life stressors on individuals in order to optimize mission readiness. Leaders should collaborate with base helping agencies to ensure that members have the support they need to meet life's challenges. Additionally, leaders should emphasize and support self-care strategies, including time for leisure and exercise, and collaborate with the member’s family and other community support when needed.
Keys to Remember in Helping People Deal with Life Stressors
● Everyone has stress in their life.
● Most personal reactions to significant life events are normal.
● Negative reactions must be dealt with to avoid disruption of the ability to perform and the development of physical and psychological illnesses.
● In many cases, there are simple and effective strategies for people to deal with life stressors.
More Severe Stressors Following a Traumatic Event
Severe life stressors may have an enduring and profound impact on a person’s life. Examples of immediate potential and long-term negative consequences of severe stressors are:
● Withdrawal
● Impulsive behavior
● Suicidal behaviors
● Violent behavior
● Depression
● Anxiety Disorders (e.g., post traumatic stress disorder)
● Interpersonal problems
Severe stressors also provide individuals with opportunities for growth, for example they can help people:
● Strengthen coping skills.
● Develop problem-solving skills.
● Develop increased confidence when faced with life challenges.
Constructive strategies for coping with severe life stressors include:
● Understanding the facts of the situation and piecing together all bits of information.
● Managing one’s personal level of distress and understanding that distress is normal.
● Using social networks and community resources for support.
Problem-solving.
Seeking help early may prevent the build up of troubling symptoms, including depression and suicidal behaviors. When help is needed, it is okay to refer people to the chaplain and the Life Skills Support Center (LSSC). The main goals of early intervention include:
● Relieving symptoms such as worry or sadness.
● Restoration to previous level of functioning.
● Identify factors that would prevent future stress reactions.
● Teach adaptive life skills, so that the person is better able to cope with future pressures.
Community Resources for Members Experiencing Life Stressors
Leaders can assist members experiencing life stressors through community resources. The following are suggested:
● Recommend a self-referral to the LSSC for a routine intake.
● A referral to the chapel or to the Family Support Center may also be helpful.
● Consult with the LSSC for recommendations on how to support the member in the unit. Be aware that if the person is in treatment, information can be provided to the commander on a need-to-know basis only, IAW AFI 44-109. LSSC will notify the commander if the member’s duty-related status (security clearance, Personal Reliability Program, or weapons bearing) may be impacted, a profile change is required, or they need a Medical Evaluation Board (MEB).
Potential Barriers to Support
If you are considering referring someone to the LSSC to help them cope with a significant life stressor, be aware of several potential barriers:
● Some members hold the mistaken belief that visits to LSSC will be part of the unit record. LSSC documentation is not put in their Personal Information File. However reports to the commander are made if danger to self or others is a concern, or if someone admits to a crime.
● Some people view mental health problems as a sign of weakness. Remember that seeking help is a sign of strength.
● Some members fear that coworkers or supervisors may find out the are in treatment and feel shame or embarrassment.
● Some fear that being a mental health patient will be detrimental to one’s career. The process of selecting individuals for assignments, schools, and promotions does not include review of the medical information unless there is a duty-limiting profile.
Resilience--Meeting the Challenges of Stressful Life Events
Resilience Checklist
Resilience is the ability to cope effectively with life challenges. Having supportive relationships, maintaining an optimistic outlook, self confidence and keeping things in perspective assist in building resilience. A crucial step to building resilience is seeking assistance when needed. Help can come from family members, friends or peers, support groups, books, and helping professionals.
Strategies to build resilience include stress management, time management, and enhancing one’s problem-solving capability:
Stress management begins with the individual learning to recognize their personal signs of stress and identify personal stressors. Plans can then be developed to either minimize the stressors or the adverse effects of the stressors. Stress management teaches that change is a part of living and most crises are not insurmountable problems. These programs also emphasize maintaining a healthy lifestyle that includes adequate sleep, good nutrition, regular exercise, and limited alcohol use.
Time management can be one of the skills developed to manage stress which involves identifying and prioritizing tasks. Tactics are then developed to efficiently complete high priority tasks, limiting distractions and overcoming procrastination. Some tactics might include the following:
● Say no to time-wasting demands.
● Pace yourself.
● Build “safety zones” into schedules that are dedicated to priority activities that take longer than expected.
● See a task through to completion using a well thought out plan.
Problem-solving skills can be enhanced through a methodical approach to addressing problems. This method involves the following steps:
● Defining the problem and breaking it into realistic and manageable elements.
● Think of several solutions and evaluate the appropriateness of each solution.
● Weigh potential costs and benefits for the different proposed solutions.
● Put the solution into practice and evaluate the outcomes.
II. Specific Life Challenges
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III. References
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23. The Military Commander and the Law. (6th ed. 2001). Maxwell AFB: The Air Force Judge Advocate General School.
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27. Pedro-Carroll, J. (2001). The promotion of wellness in children and families; challenges and opportunities. American Psychologist, 56, 993-1004.
28. Pflanz, S., & Sonnek, S. (2002). Work stress in the military: Prevalence, causes, and relationship to emotional health. Military Medicine, 167, 877-882.
29. Price R. (2002). Links in the chain of adversity following job loss: How financial strain and loss of personal control lead to depression, impaired functioning, and poor health. Journal of Occupational Health Psychology, 7, 302-312.
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35. Stalking victimization. (2000). The National Center for Victim of Crimes: Office for Victims of Crime.
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38. Talcott, G. W., Haddock, C. K., Klesges, R. C., Lando, H., & Fieder E. (1999). Prevalence and predictors of discharge in Air Force basic military training. Military Medicine, 164, 269-274.
39. Targeting health; stress management. (1999). U.S. Army Center for Health Promotion and Preventive Medicine (USACHPPM).
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