How does prolonged separation due to deployment influence soldiers' ability to maintain relational trust and emotional intimacy?
Deployment can have significant impacts on personal lives, including soldier's romantic relationships. Soldiers often struggle with sustaining healthy levels of intimacy during deployment because they are physically apart from their partners for extended periods. This separation can lead to miscommunication, stress, and anxiety that may negatively affect their relationship when reunited. In this article, we will explore how prolonged deployments can impact relational trust and emotional intimacy among military couples.
Trust
Deployment causes soldiers to be physically absent for an average of nine months at a time. During this time, communication is limited to phone calls and emails. The lack of physical presence makes it difficult for partners to establish or maintain a sense of security within the relationship. Deployments also create uncertainty about future plans, which can cause anxiety and suspicion. This disrupts the sense of safety and predictability in the relationship, making it more challenging to build trust.
Without face-to-face contact, soldiers must rely on technology to communicate with their partner.
This method of communication lacks the nuance and subtleties needed to convey emotion. Phone calls and texts cannot fully replace the reassurance of touch and eye contact.
Research shows that 90% of nonverbal communication occurs through facial expressions and body language, making it essential for building trust. Without these signals, soldiers may feel less connected to their partners and question whether they truly understand each other.
Emotional Intimacy
Emotional intimacy refers to a deep connection between two people based on mutual understanding and sharing personal experiences. When soldiers are deployed, they often experience feelings of isolation and loneliness that make it difficult to connect emotionally with their partners. Soldiers may struggle to share their thoughts and feelings due to the fear of being judged or misunderstood. Deployment can also lead to depression, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and other mental health issues that affect emotional intimacy. These factors reduce the desire to open up and be vulnerable, preventing couples from developing emotional closeness.
Soldiers may have different views of what constitutes "emotional intimacy." Some soldiers may prioritize physical touch and comfort over verbal communication, while others prefer verbal expression. This difference in expectations can create conflict when partners attempt to connect during deployment. To overcome these challenges, couples need to discuss their needs and expectations before deployment and communicate frequently throughout the separation.
Deployments can significantly impact military relationships by reducing relational trust and emotional intimacy. Prolonged absence leads to miscommunication, anxiety, and mistrust, causing couples to question the foundation of their relationship.
With proper communication strategies and support, soldiers can maintain healthy levels of trust and intimacy despite the distance. By acknowledging the unique challenges of deployment and addressing them proactively, couples can preserve their bond and thrive together after deployment.
How does prolonged separation due to deployment influence soldiers' ability to maintain relational trust and emotional intimacy?
Deployment can have various effects on soldiers' relationships with their significant others that may make it challenging for them to maintain both relational trust and emotional intimacy. Deployment often brings about changes in communication patterns between partners, leading to an increased sense of distance and disconnection. This can lead to feelings of insecurity, jealousy, and fear of abandonment among partners, which may erode trust over time.