Soldiers face many difficulties in the field, including combat exposure, stressful work conditions, high risk of injury, separation from family, lack of privacy, and limited resources. These factors can affect their physical health, mental wellbeing, and relationship quality, which are all interconnected. Soldiers need to maintain intimacy, sexual satisfaction, and relational trust despite these challenges. How do they manage this? Let's explore what research has found.
Intimacy is an emotional connection between partners that involves feelings of closeness, comfort, support, and affection. It requires open communication, honesty, vulnerability, and mutual understanding. Soldiers may struggle to build and sustain intimacy due to frequent deployments, long periods away from home, and demanding schedules. Some soldiers find it difficult to talk about personal issues like trauma, fear, or anxiety. Others feel embarrassed about sharing their sexual needs.
To overcome these obstacles, soldiers can engage in pre-deployment preparation. This means discussing expectations, boundaries, and desires before deployment. They should also establish regular check-ins while deployed and maintain contact through phone calls, emails, or letters. When possible, couples can visit each other, which can rekindle romance and strengthen bonds.
Physical distance can be a challenge for intimacy, but technology can help bridge the gap. Skype, FaceTime, text messaging, and social media can provide a sense of proximity and increase intimate conversations. Soldiers should also express appreciation and gratitude for their partner's efforts at building and sustaining relationships during deployment.
Sexual satisfaction refers to the physical pleasure derived from sexual activity. Research shows that sex is important for soldiers' mental health, as it reduces stress and provides a release.
Soldiers face unique challenges in the bedroom. Injuries, fatigue, sleep deprivation, and medication side effects can affect libido and performance.
Some soldiers find ways to adapt by scheduling sex sessions when possible, using lubricants and other products, exploring different positions, and seeking professional help if needed. Partners can support each other by being patient, understanding, and encouraging. They can explore new interests together, such as erotica, bondage, roleplay, or massages.
Relational trust involves confidence in one's partner's loyalty, reliability, and honesty. It develops over time through shared experiences, mutual respect, and reciprocity. Repeated trauma, operational demands, and uncertainty about return dates can damage this trust. To build and maintain trust, soldiers should communicate openly, share feelings, and listen actively. They should avoid secrecy, deceit, and infidelity.
Soldiers face many challenges in building and sustaining intimacy, sexual satisfaction, and relational trust while coping with repeated trauma and operational challenges. They must be proactive, communicative, creative, and willing to seek help. With patience, effort, and commitment, they can strengthen their relationships despite these obstacles.
How do soldiers sustain intimacy, sexual satisfaction, and relational trust while coping with repeated trauma and operational challenges?
Soldiers often find it difficult to maintain intimacy, sexual satisfaction, and relational trust during their service due to the constant exposure to traumatic experiences such as war, violence, and combat stressors that can take a heavy toll on their mental health. While they may feel isolated from loved ones and unable to share their feelings openly, soldiers must remain vigilant in their relationships and communicate effectively to keep them strong despite the challenges.