The ability to cope with stressors from life's challenges is known as relational resilience. Soldiers are exposed to danger every day, which means they have to deal with the death of their comrades, injuries, combat trauma, and fear for their lives daily. It is essential to develop this skill because it can help them overcome negative emotions associated with these events without letting them affect performance and overall health. Relational resilience enables soldiers to build strong bonds with their friends and families despite facing significant threats that might cause them to feel distressed or isolated. The following strategies may assist soldiers in developing relational resilience:
1. Developing social support networks: This involves creating a network of people who provide encouragement, assistance, guidance, and advice when needed. In the military, friends and family members should be used to create a solid support system where everyone can rely on each other during tough times. Friends and relatives also need to know that soldiers will return home safely after deployment so that they do not worry about them while they serve in hostile territories.
2. Learning new skills: When soldiers learn new skills, they become more confident in themselves and less likely to experience anxiety or depression due to the knowledge acquired. Some of the vital skills they should master include tactical operations, firearm handling, first aid techniques, leadership, communication, etc.
3. Maintaining physical fitness: A soldier's physical fitness level has a direct impact on their mental well-being because being overweight or out of shape increases stress levels and lowers energy levels, leading to fatigue and exhaustion. Physical exercises such as weightlifting, running, swimming, yoga, etc., are helpful in promoting physical and psychological strength.
4. Engaging in relaxation activities: Soldiers should engage in relaxing activities like meditation, deep breathing exercises, listening to music, reading books, taking walks, etc., which help reduce stress and improve mood by releasing endorphins into the body. These practices also prevent negative feelings from accumulating in the mind, making it easy for soldiers to manage emotions better.
5. Developing healthy eating habits: Eating nutritious meals is essential since food provides energy needed for both physical and cognitive tasks performed daily. A balanced diet also reduces the risk of developing illnesses caused by poor nutrition choices, enabling soldiers to stay strong throughout their deployment period.
6. Improving coping mechanisms: Developing effective strategies to deal with adverse events helps maintain relational resilience because soldiers can rely on these methods instead of letting negative emotions take control of them.
Soldiers who experience post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) may use medication, therapy sessions, journaling, or support groups to cope with trauma symptoms effectively.
Relational resilience plays a vital role in maintaining mental well-being among soldiers who face high mortality rates during operations due to various factors such as combat injuries, hostile attacks, etc. By implementing the above-mentioned tips, they will be able to overcome negative emotions associated with loss without compromising performance and overall health.
How do soldiers maintain relational resilience in environments with high mortality and operational risk?
Relationships between people are important for maintaining morale during military operations that involve high levels of mortality and operational risk. Relational resilience is defined as an individual's ability to cope with change by adapting their personal relationships and social networks to new circumstances. There are several ways in which soldiers can develop relational resilience while serving in these types of environments. One way is through developing strong bonds with comrades who share similar experiences and backgrounds.