How Soldiers Balance Emotional Dependence with Self-Containment
Soldiers are required to be able to maintain their physical and mental well-being while being surrounded by danger, stress, death, trauma, violence, and fear. This requires them to balance their need for close relationships, companionship, and support with their need to remain focused, alert, and unemotional when facing challenges. How do soldiers accomplish this?
Maintaining Close Relationships
The first method is to find ways to stay connected with family and friends back home through phone calls, letters, video chats, social media posts, and email. Many soldiers have found ways to keep up with loved ones using technology, which has become easier and more accessible than ever before. They may also spend time writing letters or making videos that they send home so that their families can see what life is like where they are serving. These connections provide an emotional outlet and reminder of why they are fighting.
Finding Companionship in the Military
Another method is to build strong bonds with other soldiers who share similar experiences. This allows them to form a unit based on mutual understanding and trust, which can help create a sense of camaraderie. It also provides them with emotional support during difficult times.
These relationships must not become too dependent as it could cause problems if they return home after deployment.
Focusing on Work
Many soldiers learn how to compartmentalize their feelings and focus solely on the task at hand without letting personal issues interfere. This helps them remain calm under pressure and avoid distractions from personal matters. It also prevents them from becoming overwhelmed by emotions that would make it difficult to complete their mission successfully.
Soldiers balance emotional dependence with self-containment by maintaining close relationships with family and friends, finding companionship within the military community, and focusing on work. While some of these methods may seem counterintuitive, they all contribute to helping soldiers stay physically and mentally healthy while facing challenges in high-stress environments.
How do soldiers balance emotional dependence with the necessity for self-containment in high-stress environments?
The psychological, emotional, and sociocultural factors that contribute to soldiers' ability to balance their sense of emotional dependence while remaining self-contained can be complex and varied depending on individual experiences and contextual circumstances. In high-stress environments where lives are at stake, it is essential for soldiers to maintain focus, discipline, and control over their emotions to perform their duties effectively, which may require them to suppress feelings such as fear, sadness, and anger.