This April marks International Stress Awareness Month 2025, with its powerful theme #LeadWithLove.
At Care after Combat, we’re focusing on how these principles of love, compassion, and unconditional positive regard can transform outcomes for veterans facing overwhelming stress.
As we explore the intersection of stress management and veteran support, we’ll discover how leading with love creates real change. The evidence is clear: when veterans receive support grounded in genuine compassion and understanding, their ability to manage stress improves dramatically.
Understanding International Stress Awareness Month
International Stress Awareness Month has evolved significantly since its origins in 1992, starting out as a campaign by the Health Resource Network encouraging people to learn about the effects of stress. Over time, what began as a bid to teach people about stress in the United States has grown into a global, month-long campaign dedicated to raising awareness about stress, its causes, effects, and management strategies.
The 2025 theme, #LeadWithLove, represents a powerful shift in how we approach stress management. This theme is grounded in the psychological concept of unconditional positive regard—a term popularised by humanistic psychologist Carl Rogers that describes accepting and supporting someone regardless of what they say or do. It’s about creating environments where people feel valued, heard, and accepted without judgement.
Veterans and Stress: A Unique Challenge
Veterans can face distinct stress triggers that differ significantly from civilian experiences. Many veterans must navigate the loss of identity, purpose, and the structured environment they’ve become accustomed to as a part of the armed forces. For some, this transition triggers a cascade of stressors: employment uncertainty, relationship challenges, and the often daunting task of rebuilding a civilian identity.
For veterans who become involved with the justice system, these stressors multiply exponentially. The environment these veterans find themselves in can reactivate trauma responses and create new layers of stress. Isolation from support networks, stigma, and concerns about the future compound existing mental health challenges.
The relationship between chronic stress and mental health creates a troubling cycle for many veterans. Persistent stress triggers or worsens conditions like PTSD, depression, and anxiety, which in turn generate more stress.
Also of concern is how chronic stress impacts rehabilitation and reintegration for veterans. Elevated cortisol levels associated with persistent stress can impair decision-making, damage physical health, and hinder the formation of healthy relationships, which can make an already challenging time even more difficult for these veterans seeking to turn their lives around.
#LeadWithLove: Applying the Theme to Veteran Support
Unconditional Positive Regard transforms veteran support by creating a foundation of trust essential for healing and growth. In practice, this means mentors approach veterans without judgement and accept their full stories (including mistakes, struggles, and setbacks) while maintaining belief in their capacity for positive change.
This approach stands in stark contrast to the conditional acceptance many veterans encounter in various systems. Care after Combat mentors are trained to create spaces where veterans can express their authentic experiences without fear of rejection or criticism.
Our mentorship model epitomises the #LeadWithLove approach through:
- Consistent, reliable presence that demonstrates commitment.
- Active listening that validates veterans’ experiences.
- Strength-based approaches that focus on capabilities rather than deficits.
- Trauma-informed interactions that respect boundaries and individual needs.
- Celebration of small victories alongside support through setbacks.
Practical Stress Management for Veterans
Managing stress effectively requires techniques tailored to veterans’ unique experiences and needs. Evidence-based approaches that have shown particular success include:
Mindfulness Practices: Simple practices like the “5-4-3-2-1 technique”—identifying five things you can see, four you can touch, three you can hear, two you can smell, and one you can taste—provide grounding without triggering hypervigilance.
Physical Regulation Techniques: Veterans respond well to stress management approaches that incorporate physical components. Box breathing (inhaling for four counts, holding for four, exhaling for four, holding for four) provides immediate physiological calming during stress responses. Regular physical activity, particularly rhythmic exercises like walking or swimming, helps process stress hormones effectively.
Peer Support and Shared Experience: Care after Combat’s mentorship model leverages the power of shared understanding. Veterans report reduced stress when connecting with others who “speak the same language”. This shared understanding creates safety and normalisation that clinical environments sometimes cannot provide.
Structured Problem-Solving: Military training emphasises clear problem-solving protocols. Stress management techniques that incorporate structured approaches to breaking down challenges into manageable components build on existing strengths while developing new skills.
Recognising stress signals early is key for effective intervention. These signals may manifest differently depending on the person and can look like:
- Increased isolation or withdrawal from social contact.
- Heightened irritability or disproportionate anger.
- Return or intensification of hypervigilance.
- Sleep disturbances or nightmares.
- Increased substance use as a form of self-medication.
Through Care after Combat’s support network, veterans can access stress management resources tailored to their specific needs, including our 24-hour helpline, peer support groups, and referral pathways to specialist veterans’ mental health services.
Supporting a Veteran Through Stressful Times
For families, friends, and supporters of veterans, understanding how to provide effective support during stressful periods is invaluable. The #LeadWithLove approach offers practical guidance:
Communication Techniques:
- Practice reflective listening—repeat back what you’ve heard to confirm understanding.
- Ask open questions that invite sharing rather than closed questions that can be answered with single words.
- Avoid phrases like “I know how you feel” or “you should just”.
- Create regular, low-pressure opportunities for conversation.
- Respect silence and don’t force disclosure.
Creating Stress-Reducing Environments:
- Establish predictable routines that provide structure and security.
- Reduce unnecessary stimuli in living spaces when stress is high.
- Ensure basic needs are met—nutrition, hydration, sleep, and exercise.
- Offer choices rather than making decisions for the veteran.
- Respect boundaries around space and privacy.
Small acts of kindness can have profound impacts on stress reduction. Something as simple as a regular check-in text, preparing a favourite meal, or offering to accompany a veteran to appointments demonstrates care without creating pressure. These gestures embody the #LeadWithLove principle by showing consistent support without expectation of return.
When encouraging professional support, approach conversations from a place of care rather than criticism. Statements like “I care about you and wonder if speaking with someone might help with the stress you’re experiencing” are more effective than “You need to get help.”
Getting Involved in International Stress Awareness Month
There are numerous ways to participate in International Stress Awareness Month while supporting veterans:
Awareness Campaigns:
- Share veteran stress information on social media using #LeadWithLove and #VeteranStress.
- Host a workplace information session about veteran stress challenges.
- Distribute Care after Combat resources in your community.
- Organise a stress awareness event that highlights veteran experiences.
Community Events:
- Arrange veteran-friendly mindfulness or yoga sessions.
- Organise outdoor activities that provide stress relief while building community.
- Host discussion groups where veterans can share experiences in safe environments.
- Plan creative workshops that offer therapeutic expression opportunities.
For those wanting to make a more direct impact, Care after Combat welcomes volunteers for our mentorship programmes, fundraising initiatives, and awareness campaigns. Your involvement directly supports veterans managing stress during and after their justice system involvement.
Conclusion
International Stress Awareness Month 2025 offers a valuable opportunity to recognise the unique stress challenges veterans face and respond with compassionate support. By embracing the #LeadWithLove theme, we acknowledge that addressing veteran stress requires more than clinical interventions; it demands human connection grounded in unconditional positive regard.
The approach championed by Care after Combat demonstrates that when veterans receive consistent, non-judgemental support, they develop greater resilience, improved coping mechanisms, and stronger foundations for successful reintegration. Our remarkable outcomes (particularly our significantly reduced reoffending rates) prove that love is indeed a powerful agent for change.
As we move through April 2025, we invite you to join us in supporting veterans during International Stress Awareness Month. Whether through sharing information, volunteering your time, or contributing to our programmes, you can help create environments where veterans experience the understanding and compassion they deserve.
To learn more about supporting veterans or accessing our services, visit our contact page or explore our support resources.
Remember, every act of compassion makes a difference. When we lead with love, we create ripples of positive change that extend far beyond what we can see.
Immediate Support Resources
- Care after Combat Helpline: 0300 343 0255
- Combat Stress 24-Hour Helpline: 0800 138 1619
- Veterans’ Gateway: 0808 802 1212
- Samaritans: 116 123
Remember, reaching out is a sign of strength, not weakness. Support is available whenever you need it.