The impact of internalized stigma on combat stress can be difficult for military personnel to overcome when it comes to their romantic relationships. Internalized stigma is defined as an individual's acceptance of negative beliefs about themselves based on social attitudes towards them due to socially-constructed identities such as race, gender, age, sexual orientation, religion, class, disability status, etc. This internalization leads to feelings of shame, guilt, self-doubt, and low self-esteem that affect how they view themselves and interact with others in various aspects of life, including relationships. Combat stress refers to the psychological and emotional reactions experienced after witnessing or participating in traumatic events during wartime. It often manifests itself through symptoms like post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), depression, anxiety, flashbacks, nightmares, agitation, hypervigilance, insomnia, and difficulties with concentration and memory. Combat stress can also lead to relationship problems such as intimacy issues, communication breakdowns, infidelity, substance abuse, and violence.
When internalized stigma is combined with combat stress, it can create a vicious cycle where individuals may feel ashamed of their experiences and struggle to connect with others emotionally. They may become isolated and avoidant, leading to further isolation and loneliness. This can result in decreased relational satisfaction, poorer communication patterns, and reduced emotional expression. Military members who experience both internalized stigma and combat stress may struggle to form meaningful connections with partners and find it difficult to express their needs and desires sexually. In addition, they may have difficulty trusting others because of past betrayal, which can negatively impact intimacy. These challenges require specialized therapy, patience, understanding from loved ones, support groups, and open conversations about expectations within the relationship.
How does internalized stigma interact with combat stress to influence relational satisfaction, intimacy, and emotional expression?
Research has revealed that internalized stigma can impact interpersonal relationships through various pathways. One of these pathways is the impairment of emotional communication between individuals. Internalized stigmatization often leads to social isolation, which further contributes to feelings of loneliness and low self-esteem. Moreover, it may cause individuals to hide their true selves from others, leading to difficulties in forming meaningful connections with them.