Relationship Strategies for Military Couples During Long Separation
Long separations can be difficult for military couples due to the challenges they face maintaining their relationship while apart.
Some couples have developed effective strategies to manage these difficulties. These strategies involve regular communication, expressing love and affection, establishing routines, planning activities together, setting boundaries, and managing expectations.
Regular Communication
Regular communication is crucial for maintaining a healthy relationship during long deployments. This includes phone calls, emails, video chats, and letters. Couples should schedule regular times for communication to ensure that they are staying connected and updated on each other's lives. They can also exchange photos, videos, and updates about their days to feel closer even though they are far away. Some couples find it helpful to set a "date night" where they can connect virtually and spend time talking as if they were physically together.
Expressing Love and Affection
Couples who are separated for long periods of time need to find ways to show their love and affection to one another despite being apart. They can send cards or small gifts, write love notes, or create scrapbooks with memories from their time together. Sharing emotional support through text messages, social media posts, and voicemails can also help build intimacy.
Couples can write letters to each other detailing their thoughts, feelings, and desires, which can be especially meaningful during separation.
Establishing Routines
Establishing routines helps couples feel more connected when they are apart.
Couples can read the same books, watch the same TV shows, or work out together virtually. They can also plan weekly "dates" over Skype or Facetime to talk about their day-to-day experiences. These routines provide structure and predictability in an unpredictable situation.
Planning Activities Together
Planning activities together is another way military couples can maintain their relationship while apart. This could involve watching movies, cooking meals, playing games, or planning vacations. Couples can also schedule virtual dates such as movie nights, game nights, or virtual date nights. Doing these things together, even though they are far apart, can help couples feel like they are still a team.
Setting Boundaries
Setting boundaries is important for maintaining healthy relationships during long separations. Couples should discuss what topics they can discuss openly and those that may need to wait until they reunite. They should set limits on how much contact is too much and how often they should check in with each other. It's essential to establish rules for social media use, video chats, text messages, and emails to prevent misunderstandings or jealousy.
Managing Expectations
Couples who are separated for extended periods of time must manage their expectations of one another. They should recognize that separation can cause changes in communication styles, emotional reactions, and behaviors. They should also be realistic about the time it will take for them to get back into a routine when they finally reunite. Military spouses need to understand that deployments can cause stress and anxiety, leading to emotional outbursts and arguments.
Military couples facing long separations can benefit from developing effective strategies to stay connected and manage psychological effects. Regular communication, expressing love and affection, establishing routines, setting boundaries, and managing expectations are all helpful ways to navigate this difficult time. By following these tips, military couples can maintain their relationship while apart and prepare for a strong reunion once they are reunited.
What relational strategies do couples develop to manage the psychological effects of long-term separation during deployments?
In military couples who experience prolonged separations due to deployment, relational strategies play an important role in managing the psychological impact. The lack of physical intimacy and frequent communication can lead to feelings of loneliness, anxiety, and low self-esteem. Couples may develop coping mechanisms such as maintaining regular contact through phone calls, video chats, and letters, creating shared activities to fill the void, and finding support from family and friends.