{"id":106994,"date":"2020-05-21T10:49:21","date_gmt":"2020-05-21T10:49:21","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/militarytimes\/uncategorized\/2020\/05\/21\/mental-well-being-thats-attainable-just-start-here\/"},"modified":"2026-08-08T12:01:11","modified_gmt":"2026-08-08T12:01:11","slug":"mental-well-being-thats-attainable-just-start-here","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/militarytimes\/commentary\/2020\/05\/21\/mental-well-being-thats-attainable-just-start-here\/","title":{"rendered":"Mental well-being that\u2019s attainable: Just start here"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Last week I was approached by a teammate at the Boeing Company asking to aid our company\u2019s initiative behind mental well-being. Eight months ago, Boeing made an essential commitment to address the mental health of its employees by promoting positive ways <\/a>of managing work and life stress. Of course, I was grateful for the opportunity to help in any way, but I couldn\u2019t do so without reflecting on my own mental health journey.<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

While quarantined, I\u2019ve had conversations with friends and colleagues about the stress and anxiety we are all facing during the COVID-19 pandemic. For me, the anxiety revolves around the unknown, but I recognize that my anxiety comes and goes, and unlike many of my friends, my anxiety isn\u2019t hurdling through the roof. It\u2019s not because I don\u2019t care, but rather my mind has been conditioned for highly tense situations and uncertain times from past experiences.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Eight years ago<\/a>, two suicide bombers targeted my unit in the eastern province of Afghanistan. Four of my brothers left us on that day: Command Sgt. Maj. Kevin Griffin, Maj. Walter Gray, Maj. Thomas Kennedy and Ragaei Abdelfattah. Over the next few years, grief and anger were a part of my daily routine, and depression set in on multiple occasions. That\u2019s how I came to understand the critical importance of mental health. I was driving myself to the point of no return and none of my past experiences \u2014 be it learning English as a 13-year-old immigrant, or going though Ranger School \u2014 mattered because my brain was in control, and my brain was unwell. The negative thoughts, sadness, and anger guided me every day. I would not listen to anyone, and I did not see a path forward. I was injured physically, but my invisible wound was trying to kill me.<\/p>\n\n\n\t