A life-threatening situation is one that can cause serious injury or death if unresolved quickly. These events may include natural disasters such as earthquakes, fires, floods, hurricanes, or tornadoes.
Terrorist attacks or accidents involving explosions, gunshots, car crashes, stabbings, or poisonous chemical spills are also considered life-threatening. Exposure to these situations requires urgent action from those involved. Depending on the gravity of the situation, people's prioritization of relational needs changes. This change can be either temporary or permanent. In this article, I will describe how exposure to life-threatening situations affects relational needs based on different aspects, including emotion, social connection, and physical health.
Relation to Emotion
When faced with an adverse event, individuals experience strong emotions like fear, anxiety, sadness, anger, or guilt. They worry about their safety and the well-being of others around them. These feelings consume all other thoughts in their minds, making it hard for them to think straight and act rationally.
Someone who witnesses a traumatic event might become overwhelmed by negative emotions and lose sight of what matters most. Their focus shifts towards survival, leaving no room for relationships. As a result, they may withdraw from friends and family members and seek solitude, which can strain existing connections.
Relationship to Social Connection
A traumatic event can lead to isolation or separation from loved ones. People experiencing such events may feel too vulnerable to interact with anyone else, even close friends and family. The sense of isolation can cause them to prioritize themselves above others, as they believe that their own survival is the only thing that matters at that moment.
This can also make them more prone to depression or loneliness if they do not receive support during this time. Therefore, their need for intimacy and belonging is heightened but subconsciously put aside due to the perceived need for self-preservation.
Physical Health
An individual's physical health is often neglected when exposed to life-threatening situations. They may have insufficient energy and resources to care for themselves, resulting in weak immunity and fatigue. This lack of attention to physical needs can affect relationships because people are less likely to be emotionally available or engage in social activities. In addition, illnesses like PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder) can develop after a traumatic event, further reducing an individual's ability to connect socially.
Someone who experiences shock may become distant or detached from others, making it challenging to relate on an emotional level.
Exposure to life-threatening situations alters relational needs based on emotions, social connection, and physical health. Emotions take priority, leading individuals to withdraw from others while focusing on survival. Social connections suffer, creating a sense of isolation and loneliness.
Physical health is neglected, making it hard to maintain positive relationships. These changes are temporary or permanent, depending on the severity of the situation. Nevertheless, addressing these issues through therapy, counseling, or support groups can help individuals regain control over their lives.
In what ways does exposure to life-threatening situations alter prioritization of relational needs?
Living through stressful events can significantly impact an individual's perception of their relationships with others. When people experience trauma, they may become more focused on self-preservation and less likely to invest time and energy into interpersonal connections. This change in priorities is often due to the survival instinct kicking in, causing individuals to focus on immediate threats rather than long-term goals such as maintaining social bonds.