Article: Trauma Shifts Veterans' Perception of Relational Safety, Trustworthiness, and Emotional Credibility
Trauma is an unavoidable aspect of military service that can impact veterans' mental health significantly. It alters their perception of relational safety, trustworthiness, and emotional credibility for years after leaving active duty. This shift in perspective often leads to difficulties in maintaining meaningful connections with loved ones.
Definition of trauma
According to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM), trauma refers to exposure to actual or threatened death, serious injury, or sexual violation. Military service involves extreme violence, which may lead to post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms such as flashbacks, nightmares, hypervigilance, avoidance behaviors, negative moods, and insomnia. PTSD affects about 10% of veterans who have served in combat zones within the past year.
The impact of trauma on relational safety
Veterans exposed to trauma may feel unsafe in close relationships due to their distrust of people outside of the military culture. They might perceive civilians as weak and incapable of understanding their experiences. As a result, they may struggle to form intimate bonds and become isolated from society.
Lack of empathy
Living through traumatic events changes how veterans process information and interact with others. Their heightened alertness to potential danger makes them less responsive to social cues like facial expressions or tone of voice.
When someone asks if they are okay, a veteran may interpret it as an attack rather than concern. It can be challenging for friends and family members to read their emotions and respond appropriately without causing further harm.
Hypervigilance
Trauma also causes increased vigilance that can interfere with building trust with loved ones. Veterans may experience irritability, anxiety, paranoia, or impulsiveness when around people they don't know well. They may view everyone as a possible threat, which leads to feelings of suspicion and mistrust. This hyperarousal response is often out of proportion to any actual danger present and can create tension in relationships.
Dissociation
Veterans may use dissociation as a coping mechanism during intense stress. When this defense mechanism becomes chronic, it can lead to feeling detached from reality and emotional numbness. This affects their ability to connect with partners emotionally, leading to distance and withdrawal over time. Without proper treatment, these symptoms can escalate into addiction, depression, and suicidal ideation.
The impact on trustworthiness and emotional credibility
The perception of relational safety influences whether veterans feel safe sharing their traumatic experiences. Many fear rejection, judgment, or blame if they disclose their pain, so they remain silent even when seeking support. Lack of verbalization can make it difficult to develop intimacy and trust in new relationships.
This isolation can lead to social withdrawal, loneliness, and relationship difficulties.
Emotional credibility
Another challenge for veterans is establishing emotional credibility. Their trauma makes it hard to express feelings accurately without coming across as unstable or manipulative. As a result, they might seem cold or distant despite trying to be open about their needs. This can strain communication, making it challenging to build rapport and mutual understanding.
Implications for long-term relationships
PTSD and trauma can have significant implications for romantic relationships, especially those involving children. Veterans' distrust of civilians leads them to question their partner's motives and intentions, creating tension and mistrust. It may take years of therapy and work to heal the wounds caused by combat exposure and reintegrate into civilian life.
With patience, compassion, and professional help, many couples find ways to cope with these issues together.
How does trauma shift the veteran's perception of relational safety, trustworthiness, and emotional credibility?
Traumatic experiences can significantly alter a person's perception of relational safety, trustworthiness, and emotional credibility, particularly among veterans who have experienced combat situations during military service. Veterans may struggle with feeling safe in close relationships, as they become hypervigilant and suspicious of others' intentions due to past trauma.