Military Families in San Antonio Face Unique Mental Health Challenges as Deployment Stress Takes Its Toll on Service Members, Spouses, and Children

San Antonio stands as “Military City USA,” home to one of the nation’s largest concentrations of military personnel across Joint Base San Antonio, Fort Sam Houston, Lackland Air Force Base, and Randolph Air Force Base. While this military presence brings economic vitality to the region, it also means thousands of families regularly face the emotional challenges that come with military life, particularly the stress of deployment separation.

The Hidden Impact of Deployment on Military Families

Recent findings with deployed service members with children have shown problems with sleeping, higher stress levels and anxiety, declining grades, an increase in maladaptive child behaviors, and increased rates of child maltreatment. A survey showed 20 percent of military spouses reported increases in problem behavior exhibited by their children at home in response to parental deployment, and 21 percent reported increased levels of fear and anxiety with their children.

Children of deployed parents exhibiting higher rates of both internalizing (anxiety/depression) and externalizing (aggressive behavior) symptoms, as well as higher rates of total problems, compared to children whose parents were not deployed. The research reveals that the largest effect sizes were found for the internalizing symptoms of anxiety and depression, which would arise from the existence of fears for the deployed parent’s safety.

Age-Specific Challenges During Deployment

Military children experience deployment stress differently depending on their developmental stage. Younger children show behavioral problems and attachment difficulties during the deployment and the reintegration period, such as difficulty sleeping, bed wetting, nightmares, excessive clinginess, and difficulty trusting the deployed parent or respecting their authority.

Older children and adolescents with a deployed parent show problems like decreasing grades, anxiety and depression, aggressive behaviors, suicidal thoughts and substance use. Parental deployment places school-age children and adolescents at higher risk for a range of adverse mood and behavioral changes: anger, apathy, anxiety, depression, withdrawal, decline in school performance, loss of interest in normal activities, and social isolation.

The Ripple Effect on Military Spouses

The stress doesn’t stop with the children. Military spouses often carry invisible burdens—managing solo parenting during deployments, sacrificing careers for PCS moves, navigating Tricare and base resources, and supporting service members through visible and invisible wounds. Spouses of deployed service members report more stress and depression, as well as increased use of mental health services and medications. Given that military families relocate often, the stress on the remaining spouse could be higher if they’re living far from family and a support system.

The Reintegration Challenge

While homecoming is often anticipated as a joyful reunion, the reality can be more complex. Reunions can be happy and stressful. There is usually a “honeymoon” phase shortly after demobilization, but it will probably be temporary. When they do return, the reintegration process has its own difficulties. Especially with younger children, parents are often met by a child that is very different than the one they left behind and who may have little to no recollection of them. They have to rebuild their relationship from the ground up, which can be stressful for everyone involved, more so if the service member returns with physical or psychological injuries.

Warning Signs Parents Should Watch For

Warning signs of stress in children vary by age, but can include anything from developmental regressions such as bedwetting in very small children to a lack of interest in formerly favorite activities to anger and risk-taking behavior in teenagers. Changes reported included changes in school performance, lashing out in anger, worrying, hiding emotions, disrespecting parents and authority figures, feeling a sense of loss, and symptoms consistent with depression.

The Importance of Professional Support

The mental health status of the at-home parent or caregiver during a deployment impacts the mental health of children under their care. Children whose at-home parents or caregivers had better self-reported mental health were better able to cope with the deployment experience during and after the deployment.

For military families in San Antonio struggling with deployment-related anxiety, professional mental health support can make a significant difference. Quality anxiety therapy in San Antonio TX provides evidence-based treatment approaches that address the unique challenges military families face. Therapists who understand military culture and deployment cycles can offer specialized interventions that help both children and adults develop healthy coping strategies.

Resources Available in San Antonio

San Antonio’s military community has access to various mental health resources. The Steven A. Cohen Military Family Clinic at Endeavors, San Antonio provides high-quality, accessible, and integrated mental health care available in person or via telehealth to Veterans, (regardless of role while in uniform, discharge status, or combat experience), active duty service members (with a TRICARE referral), and military families. Receive services addressing depression, anxiety, post-traumatic stress, sleep problems, adolescent behavioral issues, relationship and family stress, etc.

Active-duty military personnel and their families can access confidential counseling to address stress, deployment separation, relationship challenges, and anxiety. Confidential counselors are available for service members and their families through Military One Source at 1-800-342-9647. If you’re unsure whether to seek treatment or if you someone you know might need treatment, they are an excellent first stop for information and advice.

Building Resilience Through Professional Care

While deployment stress is a reality for military families, it doesn’t have to define their experience. Experts agree that when it comes to stressors, be it the mental health of parents, deployments or a PCS move, kids tend to handle things as well as their parents do. This underscores the importance of parents seeking support when needed.

Professional anxiety therapy can help military families develop resilience, improve communication, and create healthy coping mechanisms that serve them through multiple deployment cycles. By addressing deployment stress proactively, San Antonio’s military families can maintain stronger relationships and better mental health outcomes for all family members.

If your military family is struggling with deployment-related anxiety, remember that seeking help is a sign of strength, not weakness. The unique challenges of military life require specialized understanding and support, and professional mental health services can provide the tools needed to navigate these difficulties successfully.