When a person experiences traumatic events, they often develop coping mechanisms to deal with the emotional pain. One common coping mechanism is to seek out intimate relationships to help them feel safe and secure.
These relationships can become problematic when they are used as a way to avoid dealing with deeper issues related to the trauma. This cycle of trauma-based intimacy seeking and intimacy avoidance can create significant problems in military relationships.
Unresolved trauma can manifest itself in various ways in military relationships.
A veteran may have difficulty trusting their partner due to past experiences of betrayal or abandonment. They may also be prone to outbursts of anger or violence due to feelings of powerlessness or helplessness. These behaviors can make it difficult for their partners to maintain healthy boundaries and establish a strong foundation for their relationship. As a result, the partner may withdraw from the relationship or act out in response. This can lead to further conflict and deterioration of the relationship.
Another issue that arises from unresolved trauma is a lack of empathy and emotional connection. When someone has experienced trauma, they may struggle to connect with others on an emotional level. They may become disconnected from their own feelings, making it difficult to understand and empathize with their partner's needs. This can lead to communication breakdowns and misunderstandings within the relationship.
To overcome this pattern of behavior, both parties must work together to address the underlying trauma. This may involve therapy or counseling to identify and process the traumatic events that led to the behavior. It may also involve learning new coping mechanisms to deal with stress and anxiety without resorting to intimacy-seeking or intimacy avoidance.
Resolving unresolved trauma requires open communication and willingness to take responsibility for one's actions.
By understanding how unresolved trauma affects intimate relationships, couples can work towards creating healthier and more fulfilling bonds. With support and patience, military couples can learn to navigate these challenges and create a lasting bond built on trust and mutual respect.
Unresolved trauma creates cycles of intimacy seeking and intimacy avoidance within military relationships. These cycles are detrimental to the health and longevity of the relationship.
With proper treatment and support, veterans and their partners can work through these issues and build stronger, healthier relationships.
How does the presence of unresolved trauma create cycles of intimacy seeking and intimacy avoidance within military relationships?
According to research studies on posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) among U. S. veterans returning from combat operations, many of whom are also suffering from relationship problems, there seems to be an inverse relationship between the severity of PTSD symptoms and relationship satisfaction. That is, those with more severe PTSD symptoms tend to experience more distress in their romantic relationships than those with milder PTSD symptoms.