Sexual satisfaction and relational cohesion are crucial components of happy marriages. For most couples, it is possible to overcome short-term stressors such as work deadlines, family conflicts, financial strain, or health problems.
When there are repeated traumas and adversities that occur over time, such as chronic diseases, job loss, or the death of loved ones, these can affect their relationships negatively. This article will explore how couples can maintain sexual satisfaction and relational cohesion despite repeated exposure to trauma.
How do traumatic experiences impact a couple's relationship?
Traumatic experiences can cause various changes in individuals and couples. These include emotional distress, physical symptoms like sleeping difficulties, appetite loss, and anxiety, alterations in mood, feelings of hopelessness, social isolation, disruption of daily routines, lack of interest in activities they used to enjoy, and decreased communication between partners. Trauma also leads to a lower quality of life for both people involved in the relationship. In addition, it causes a decrease in trust and intimacy levels. As a result, partners may become more distant from each other, which can lead to increased conflict and separation over time.
Ways to cope with trauma in relationships
There are several ways that couples can use to manage the effects of trauma on their relationships. The first step is to acknowledge and address any underlying issues related to the trauma before attempting to reconnect sexually. Partners should communicate openly about what they have experienced and how it has affected them. They need to understand that it is natural for one partner to feel different than the other after a traumatic event. It would help if you talked about your thoughts and feelings without judging each other.
Set aside time specifically for intimacy and bonding activities such as cuddling, massages, or conversations. Couples can also participate in shared hobbies, activities, or outings. This helps build closeness even during difficult times. Maintaining regular sexual activity is essential because it provides a sense of stability and connection despite the trauma's stressors.
Seek professional counseling if necessary. A therapist will be able to provide support and tools for managing anxiety, depression, or PTSD symptoms associated with trauma.
How do couples maintain sexual satisfaction?
Sexual satisfaction requires physical and emotional intimacy between partners. If one partner feels detached due to trauma exposure, it can affect the couple's overall relationship satisfaction. Couples can overcome this by scheduling regular dates nights where there is no discussion of work or children but only romance and intimacy. Intimate touches like holding hands, kissing, or gentle caresses are recommended throughout the day. This helps increase arousal levels leading up to intercourse.
During intercourse, partners must focus on pleasurable sensations rather than performance pressure. There should be less emphasis on orgasm completion and more exploration of sensory pleasure from touch, taste, smell, sight, sound, movement, etc. It is important to discuss desires openly beforehand so that both parties feel comfortable trying new things without fear of judgment.
Couples should find ways to destress outside the bedroom such as meditation, deep breathing exercises, yoga, reading books together, taking walks in nature, listening to music or playing board games. These activities help reduce tension and increase relaxation in general life moments, which transfers into better intimacy during sex.
To summarize: Repeated trauma exposure significantly impacts a marriage's relational cohesion and sexual satisfaction levels. To counteract these effects, couples need to acknowledge their differences, communicate openly about their feelings regarding traumatic events, spend quality time together without distractions or worries, maintain regular intimacy through touch and conversation beyond intercourse itself, explore different types of stimulation for increased physical pleasure, and take care of themselves emotionally and physically by practicing stress-relieving activities apart from each other regularly.
How do couples maintain sexual satisfaction and relational cohesion despite repeated trauma exposure?
The most common strategies used by couples to cope with repeated trauma exposure include seeking professional help, practicing active listening, expressing gratitude for each other's support, having open communication, engaging in physical intimacy, and reframing negative thoughts about themselves and their relationship. Couples who have been exposed to traumatic events are likely to experience challenges in their romantic life that can negatively impact their overall wellbeing.