Psychological Tools for Sustained Attachment During Separation
Intimate partners who must be apart from one another due to work commitments, distance, health issues, military service, imprisonment, or other reasons may struggle to maintain their relationship despite these challenges. Researchers have identified several psychological tools that can help couples stay connected even when they are physically apart. These strategies include:
1. **Communicating often** - Regular communication helps reduce feelings of anxiety and uncertainty about your partner's whereabouts and wellbeing. Whether you send texts, emails, letters, phone calls, or video chats, try to maintain regular check-ins and update each other regularly on what is happening in your life. This can also help prevent small problems from turning into bigger ones if they arise during the separation.
2. **Sharing personal details** - Share intimate thoughts and feelings about your day, including anything that might seem trivial or mundane. This can create a sense of closeness and connection, even when you are far away from each other.
3. **Maintaining routines** - Try to keep some aspects of your daily routine similar while you are separated.
Waking up at the same time each morning, eating meals at the same times, and going to bed at night around the same time can help you feel more grounded and stable.
4. **Engaging in shared activities** - Find ways to engage in activities together, such as watching the same TV shows, reading the same books, or playing online games together. This can provide a sense of continuity and togetherness even when you are miles apart.
5. **Expressing gratitude** - Remember to express appreciation for your partner's support, love, and commitment to the relationship. Thank them for their efforts to stay connected and let them know how much you miss them.
6. **Practicing self-care** - Taking care of yourself emotionally and physically will help you feel better equipped to handle the stresses of separation and make it easier to cope with missing your partner. Get enough sleep, eat well, exercise regularly, and take breaks from thinking about the situation whenever possible.
7. **Seeking professional support** - If you are struggling with depression, anxiety, or loneliness due to prolonged separation, seek professional counseling to help manage these feelings. A therapist can also offer additional strategies to maintain intimacy and attachment during this challenging time.
By using these psychological tools, couples can stay connected and maintain a strong bond despite being apart.
What psychological tools enable sustained attachment and intimacy during prolonged separation?
The attachment styles that people may develop over time can be either secure or insecure. Secure attachments are characterized by high levels of trust, comfortability, openness, and closeness with their partner. People who have a secure attachment tend to have more positive experiences when they are separated from each other due to trust, comfortableness, and openness they feel towards each other.