Soldiers spend a lot of time away from their families while serving in combat zones. They are often deployed for months or even years without seeing their loved ones. This can have serious consequences for their mental health, including feelings of loneliness, isolation, and anxiety.
Many soldiers remain connected to their partners and children despite being separated by great distances. How do they manage to maintain these important bonds? What psychological processes enable them to stay attached and intimate despite long periods of absence?
One way that soldiers keep close to their loved ones is through technology. Many people now communicate regularly via email, text messages, video chats, and social media platforms like Facebook and Twitter. These tools allow soldiers to stay in touch with their families back home and share updates about their lives and experiences. Some units even provide access to computers so that soldiers can write letters or send photos to their loved ones.
Another way that soldiers stay connected is through physical objects. Soldiers may send care packages or gifts to their partners and children as reminders of their love and support. They may also keep mementos or pictures of their families nearby to help them feel more connected when they are far apart.
Many soldiers also find ways to connect emotionally with their partners and children through shared activities or interests.
They might read books together or play games online. Some soldiers even create rituals or traditions that they do with their family members, such as watching a certain movie or eating a particular meal. These routines can help soldiers feel closer to their loved ones even when they are physically far away.
Some soldiers use visualization techniques to imagine being with their loved ones. They may mentally recreate scenes from past events or envision future moments together. This helps them feel more connected and can reduce feelings of loneliness and isolation.
There are many different strategies that soldiers use to maintain attachment and intimacy during long deployments. By using technology, physical objects, shared activities, and mental imagery, soldiers can remain close to their loved ones despite the distance between them.
What psychological processes enable soldiers to maintain attachment and intimacy despite long periods of absence?
Soldiers' ability to maintain attachments and intimacy during prolonged absences can be attributed to their psychological resilience, which is influenced by various factors such as social support, coping strategies, and personality traits (Lustig et al. , 2018).