The article discusses how intimate partnerships can play an important role in supporting soldiers' recovery from moral injury, trauma, and operational stress. The psychological impacts of war, such as moral injury and post-traumatic stress disorder, have been recognized for centuries as being profound and lasting.
There has been less focus on the ways that intimate partnerships can help to alleviate these effects. This article seeks to explore how intimate partnerships can provide emotional support, validation, and comfort to soldiers who are dealing with these challenges, ultimately helping them heal and recover.
Emotional Support
One of the primary ways that intimate partnerships can support soldiers is through providing emotional support. When soldiers return home from deployment, they often experience a range of emotions, including feelings of guilt, shame, anger, sadness, and depression. These emotions can be difficult to manage alone, but having a partner who is willing to listen and provide empathy can make all the difference. Intimate partners can offer a safe space where soldiers feel comfortable expressing their thoughts and feelings without fear of judgment or criticism. By listening attentively and offering understanding, partners can help soldiers process their experiences and begin to work through the psychological wounds they have suffered.
Validation
Intimate partnerships also provide validation to soldiers experiencing moral injury, trauma, and operational stress. Soldiers may struggle with self-doubt and question their own actions during combat, feeling like they failed to uphold their values or acted against their principles. Having a partner who recognizes the complexity of their situation and affirms their decision-making can be powerful in rebuilding their sense of self-worth. Partners can validate soldiers' experiences by acknowledging the difficulties they faced, appreciating their efforts, and reinforcing their strengths.
Comfort
Intimate partnerships can provide comfort to soldiers struggling with psychological effects of war. This comfort can take many forms, such as physical touch, shared hobbies and interests, or just being present in times of need. Soldiers who are dealing with trauma may find it difficult to connect with others, making intimacy an important way to rebuild relationships and maintain social bonds. Through intimacy, partners can create a sense of safety and security that allows soldiers to relax and release some of the tension they carry from deployment.
Intimate partnerships play a crucial role in supporting soldiers' recovery from moral injury, trauma, and operational stress. By providing emotional support, validation, and comfort, partners help soldiers process their experiences and rebuild their sense of self. While there is no substitute for professional therapy, intimate partners can be an important source of healing and growth for those who have served our country.
How do intimate partnerships support soldiers' recovery from moral injury, trauma, and operational stress?
Soldiers experience a variety of challenges during deployment, including military operations that may leave them feeling emotionally and physically exhausted, disconnected from family and friends, and with guilt or shame about their actions on the battlefield. Intimate partner relationships can play an important role in supporting soldiers' recovery from these experiences by providing emotional support, helping them reintegrate into civilian life, and promoting resilience.