There are few situations as challenging as military service, except perhaps returning from it, which can be even more so at times. The process of trying to reintegrate back into civilian life can be a long and difficult one, especially if you suffered particularly while you were away or it has been a long time since you were home.
In any case, it can be helpful to know about some of the things you can expect when you return from military service. With that in mind, let’s take a look and see what you might want to think about here.
Body Problems
A very common issue here is of course bodily issues. That might include injuries, chronic conditions and disabilities, among other possibilities. These can become quite hard to manage once you are back in civilian life.
There are a few things to remember here, from the fact you might need a veterans attorney to help you claim benefits, to ensuring that you are getting the medical care you need. The priority is that you are caring for your body as best as you can, so that is what you should focus on here above all else.
Mental Health Challenges
It’s not just the body you need to think about, however – it’s the mind too. There are all kinds of mental health challenges that can arise when you are in the military and especially once you return home to your normal daily life – because what’s normal for you has now changed considerably.
You might experience PTSD, depression, anxiety, psychosis, or a combination of some or all of these, along with other challenges besides. Seek therapy and make sure you are getting all the help you need. You will be glad for it, and it will make everything a lot easier to manage.
Sudden Changes
In general, this is just a very sudden change, and one that you are therefore going to find quite jarring if you are like most people in your position. You have to be as prepared as possible for that change, and you need to make sure that you are doing all you can to understand what it might feel like.
However, probably nothing can actually prepare you for it as well as you would hope, so that is something you might want to bear in mind as well. Nonetheless, being generally prepared for a big change could help.
Strained Relationships
Even the strongest relationships can sometimes experience difficulties as a result of this kind of change, so that is something that you should watch out for as well.
As long as you work together against the problem rather than against one another, and you do all you can to keep at it, you should find that your relationship comes out of the other side stronger than before. But it can take time, and you should try to be prepared for that.
All in all, however, this is certainly a difficulty that you should be aware of.