The emotions that are triggered by deployments, such as anxiety, depression, stress, fear, anger, grief, loneliness, and guilt, have been well documented by previous studies.
Little research has focused on how these emotions affect service members' reintegration into civilian life, including their interactions with family, friends, colleagues, and potential romantic partners. In particular, there is limited understanding of how the anticipation of deployment and redeployment affects veterans' emotional investment in intimate relationships. This gap in knowledge is significant because intimate relationships play a critical role in individuals' physical and mental health outcomes.
When veterans return from combat, they often experience feelings of disconnection from loved ones who were left behind. They may feel guilty about being away for long periods or worry about leaving again when they return home. These emotions can create tension in their relationships with spouses or romantic partners, which may lead to conflict and misunderstanding. Veterans may also find it difficult to share their experiences with civilians, further isolating them emotionally.
The prospect of future deployments can cause veterans to become anxious or avoidant in their relationships.
Some may develop a pattern of withdrawing from intimacy during times of uncertainty, while others may be hyper-vigilant about potential threats or emergencies that could arise. This can result in a lack of trust and intimacy within the relationship, leading to feelings of distance and alienation.
The process of redeployment itself can be challenging for veterans, as they adjust to new roles and responsibilities outside of military life. Transitioning back into civilian life can be overwhelming, and some veterans may struggle to communicate effectively with non-military family members and friends. As a result, they may seek comfort and support from their spouse or partner but face difficulties sharing their experiences due to cultural differences between military and civilian cultures.
In what ways does the anticipation of redeployment influence veterans' emotional investment in intimate relationships?
The anticipation of redeployment can have significant impact on the emotional investment of veterans in their intimate relationships, as it often leads to feelings of separation anxiety, fear of abandonment, and difficulty with communication due to increased stress levels. Veterans may become preoccupied with thoughts about the possibility of being separated from their loved ones and experience heightened levels of distrust, jealousy, and anger towards them.