The deployment of a soldier may have an impact on his/her relationship with his partner that extends beyond just emotional strain. The military has been known to increase stress levels of soldiers who are away from home for extended periods. This paper will examine how deployment-related stress can affect sexual satisfaction and relational cohesion in married couples.
In order to understand the impact of deployment-related stress on sexual satisfaction and relational cohesion, it is important to explore the factors involved in both areas. Sexual satisfaction refers to one's personal feelings towards their sexual activity and the level of enjoyment they experience during these activities. It involves elements such as physical pleasure, emotional connection, intimacy, communication, trust, and fulfillment. Relational cohesion refers to the strength of the bond between partners in a marriage or committed relationship. It includes elements like loyalty, trust, commitment, respect, affection, and compatibility. Both are necessary components for a healthy relationship but can be affected by external influences like deployment-related stress.
Deployment-Related Stress
Deployment-related stress is defined as "the emotional reaction to separation or threat of separation from loved ones" (Kelly et al., 2017). When soldiers are deployed, they face many challenges including adjusting to new environments, managing their duties, facing danger and trauma, missing family members, and more. These factors can cause psychological distress which leads to changes in behavior and attitudes that may have a negative effect on relationships back home. Studies suggest that deployment-related stress often results in decreased communication with partners due to time differences, increased irritability due to sleep deprivation, decreased emotional availability due to fatigue, and an overall sense of disconnection. This can lead to tension within the relationship resulting in conflict over petty issues or resentment when problems arise.
Impact on Sexual Satisfaction
Sexual satisfaction is often affected when couples experience deployment-related stress. Soldiers who are away from home for extended periods may feel less connected to their partner sexually due to lack of physical contact and reduced emotional closeness. This can result in lower levels of arousal during sexual activity leading to dissatisfaction with intimacy.
Increased stress levels due to deployment-related factors such as fear of injury or death may make it difficult for them to focus on pleasurable activities such as kissing or caressing. The absence of physical contact between partners can also reduce feelings of attachment and intimacy, further contributing to low sexual satisfaction.
Impact on Relational Cohesion
Deployment-related stress can also impact relational cohesion by creating distance between partners. When soldiers are away from home for long periods they may feel isolated or alone which can lead to loneliness or anxiety about the future. Communication becomes more difficult due to time differences and limited accessibility making it hard for both parties to stay up-to-date with each other's lives. Trust may be compromised if one partner feels neglected while another pursues other relationships without consent while apart. All these factors contribute towards a decrease in the quality of the bond between partners leading to decreased relational cohesion.
Deployment-related stress has an adverse effect on both sexual satisfaction and relational cohesion among married couples. It increases tension within the relationship causing conflict over petty issues or resentment when problems arise. Physical separation due to deployment causes decreased intimacy leading to low levels of sexual satisfaction. Emotional disconnection created by deployment-related stress results in reduced feelings of attachment leading to lower levels of relational cohesion. Understanding how this type of stress affects married couples is essential in order to develop strategies that promote healthy relationships during times of deployment.
How does deployment-related stress influence sexual satisfaction and relational cohesion?
Stress associated with military service can have profound effects on various facets of life, including sexuality and relationships. Deployment-related stress is one such stressor that may negatively impact sexual satisfaction and relational cohesion among couples. Deployments are often extended periods during which members of the armed forces must leave their families for months at a time and engage in high-intensity combat operations away from home.