Long distance relationships are hard on humans, and that this is because humans need companionship, however once they paired off, and they’ve chosen who they wish to be with, then all bets are off the table when it comes to relationships. Hardened and strengthened relationships of this type when met with long-distance issues between the two parties can be a significant emotional hardship. Personally, after studying several research papers in writing this article, it occurred to me that indeed military personnel have it the worst of all.
There is always a doubt that they will be killed in battle or action and never return home, and both parties know this. Perhaps, a married couple may have children, which strengthens the bonds knowing that if everything goes okay they will be reunited, but it also has an added amount of fear for the soldier and their spouse. Then there is the challenge with operational security, meaning that constant contact is not always possible. That is to say loose lips sink ships, and too much correspondence can cause information to leak out where it shouldn’t be, and if so it could jeopardize not just the one individual, but their entire group.
With lack of communication, and unknown future, and the chance for death in time of war, many soldiers compartmentalize their feelings, as they have no place on the battlefield. Meanwhile their spouses at home have to work to keep their minds busy on something else, but it takes an emotional toll, which is either reinforced and thus strengthening the relationship, or places doubt challenging it. Remember, we are dealing with the human psyche and this is just the way things are.
Could the military do more to help provide secure communication for long-distance relationships? Would that improve the emotional strength of the soldier, would that help the situation or make it worse? Most psychologists believe that it could actually be more dangerous to have more communication psychologically than very little. In one report I read prison psychologists stated that an abundance of communication sometimes had an adverse effect on the prisoner’s behavior, mental state of being, and took their mind away from the situational awareness they needed to stay alive in prison.
There is no getting around the long distance relationship challenges in the military, it is something that has been going on for thousands of years since ancient times. There have been personal writings saved through the generations, and it seems always the same. It is a problem, and a challenge, and there probably always will be. Perhaps the same thing will occur with volunteers for space missions in the future. Indeed I hope you please consider all this and if you are in a long-distance relationship it’s best to look at it from a philosophical perspective, thus, keeping a sound mind.