Stress Awareness, Management programs help Airmen find relief

  • Published
  • By Airman 1st Class Benjamin Raughton
  • 2nd Bomb Wing Public Affairs
BARKSDALE AIR FORCE BASE, La. --  According to Forbes.com, enlisted military personnel have the number one most stressful job of 2013.

Fortunately, the Family Advocacy Program has a course specifically designed to help Airmen identify stressors in their lives and give them resources to cope with those stressors.

"We offer the Stress Awareness program once a month to give interested Airmen a brief orientation about the resources," said Rebecca Mayfield, Family Advocacy intervention specialist. "The program is designed to allow Airmen to see if the resources fit their issues without attending the three-week Stress Management class."

The Stress Management class is a three-week quarterly series that focuses specifically on the details and skills needed to manage an individual's stressors.

"The Stress Awareness course is tailored for service men and women to deal with the stresses that come with their family life, work life and deployments," said Gary Williams, Family Advocacy Program assistant.

Mayfield has seen Airmen make bad choices when under too much stress.

"We see excessive drinking, people withdrawing and not seeking help when there's an issue or problem," Mayfield said.

The Stress Awareness and Stress Management courses also offers healthier alternatives to drinking and withdrawal, while helping Airmen take a step toward resiliency.

"We recommend exercise, making good choices and doing things you enjoy like being involved in community activities or sports," said Mayfield. "We really want Airmen to have a good support network. We want them to have access to resources or people in the community that can give them the support they need."

The class also features information to help Airmen make positive changes from the inside, to the out.

"We discuss negative self-talk and being a pessimist, so we focus on improving self-esteem and seeking people that can help and guide you in the right direction," said Mayfield.

However, Family Advocacy doesn't have to be a last-resort for Airmen and their families when stress causes mental or emotional breakdowns.

"Don't be afraid to come to Family Advocacy," said Gary. "People think we're only here for maltreatment or abuse, but we also have prevention classes like Stress Awareness. Don't be afraid to reach out."