Intimate connections are crucial for human beings' well-being. They allow individuals to establish deep emotional bonds with others, experience pleasure and satisfaction, regulate their moods and feelings, and feel safe and secure.
When an individual is exposed to intense stressors such as combat situations, these internal models can be severely disrupted, leading to long-lasting consequences. This article will discuss how exposure to combat affects intimacy and attachment, present psychological mechanisms that explain the persistent disruptions following it, and provide evidence from research studies.
Exposure to Combat
Exposure to combat can have profound effects on an individual's mental health and functioning. In war, soldiers may witness horrific events that challenge their belief systems and threaten their sense of safety and security. These experiences can lead to posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), which can manifest itself through flashbacks, nightmares, hypervigilance, and avoidance behaviors.
Trauma from combat can alter the way individuals perceive themselves, others, and the world around them, leading to a range of negative emotions such as anger, guilt, shame, fear, and distrust. Consequently, those who have experienced trauma in combat may find it difficult to build meaningful relationships and maintain intimacy.
PTSD and Attachment Disorders
According to attachment theory, humans form strong emotional bonds with caregivers during childhood, resulting in an internal model of what safe and secure connections should look like. When this model is compromised due to exposure to combat, individuals may struggle to establish trusting and fulfilling relationships later in life.
Soldiers who experience trauma may exhibit symptoms of reactive attachment disorder (RAD), characterized by insecure or disorganized attachments to others. This means they may have difficulty forming close relationships or feel anxious when they do, leading to feelings of isolation and loneliness.
Psychological mechanisms underlie these disruptions in intimacy and attachment following combat. One mechanism is hyperarousal, where individuals remain on high alert for danger even after returning home. Another is desensitization, where individuals become less sensitive to social cues and struggle to connect emotionally with others.
Cognitive processing deficits, such as dissociative amnesia, can impair memory and recall, making it challenging to remember past experiences and form new ones.
Changes in physiology and neurology caused by stress and trauma can affect the body's response to social stimuli, making it harder to regulate emotions and engage in intimate behaviors.
Psychological Mechanisms
To better understand how psychological mechanisms explain persistent disruptions in intimacy and attachment following combat, let us consider research findings. A study examined veterans with PTSD and their partners, investigating how they communicate during conflict. The results revealed that partners of veterans with PTSD were more likely to use dismissive communication styles, which emphasize independence rather than closeness, and avoidant communication styles, focusing on self-reliance instead of connection. These patterns reflect a lack of trust and security in the relationship, consistent with the internal model formed due to exposure to combat.
Another study compared the effects of PTSD symptoms on marital satisfaction among married veterans and non-veterans. It found that veterans with higher levels of PTSD reported lower marital satisfaction, indicating difficulties establishing close and fulfilling relationships. This supports the notion that PTSD can alter internal models of intimacy and attachment, resulting in lasting consequences for interpersonal connections.
Research has explored the impact of military service on parenting behavior and child development. Parents who have served in combat may exhibit greater parental warmth but less verbal sensitivity, leading to increased aggression in children and other negative outcomes. This suggests that even when soldiers manage to establish new relationships, their internal models may still be compromised, affecting their interactions with others.
Exposure to combat can significantly disrupt individuals' internal models of intimacy and attachment, causing long-lasting consequences that affect interpersonal connections. Psychological mechanisms such as hyperarousal, desensitization, cognitive processing deficits, and changes in physiology can contribute to these disruptions. Research findings support these mechanisms, revealing how they manifest in daily life and interfere with healthy relationships. Therefore, understanding the psychological mechanisms at play is crucial for developing effective treatments and support for those affected by trauma from combat.
How does exposure to combat alter an individual's internal models of intimacy and attachment, and what psychological mechanisms explain the persistent disruptions that may follow?
The exposure to combat can alter an individual's internal models of intimacy and attachment through various psychological mechanisms such as desensitization, hypervigilance, and traumatic stress responses. The experience of combat can lead to a sense of detachment from others, which can result in difficulty with establishing and maintaining close relationships.