PERSONAL RESILIENCE

Resilience fails when your environmental demand exceeds your natural regulatory capacity. That is, an individual’s ability to cope with the actual or perceived demands placed on them. This could come any area of your life and can contribute to the development of stress symptoms; such as fatigue, digestive issues, lack of concentration, loss of desire and irritability. Recognising when you notice changes in your mood and wellbeing can be key to catching diminishing resilience early and accessing the right support.

INTIMATE

ATTACHMENTS

By its nature, the military environment places high demands on its people and can be stressful at times. Many in the military are energetic risk-takers in demanding roles. This potential exposure to times of elevated stress and risk and the regular separation of couples, combined with the prevalence of internet use, has the potential to create the ‘perfect storm’ for emotional disengagement at an intimate and couple level.   This combination of factors can lead to problematic relationship and sexual concerns.

RISK-TAKING

BEHAVIOUR

When a person’s psychological capital or resilience is destabilised, then physical, cognitive and emotional functioning can deteriorate leading to emotional detachment.  If that disengagement is prolonged, an individual may find them themselves feeling psychologically stuck or may seek out new reward systems in an attempt to feel better in themselves. It is this dopamine-search that may lead to mood altering behaviours, such as drinking, gambling, gaming and sexual compulsivity.