Relationships play a significant part in a person’s life. When you’re into a relationship, you have a sense of security and well-being. The fact that you’re in an intimate relationship with someone contributes to your sense of self-identity. It even makes you stronger when challenges are encountered. However, having severe injuries can have a considerable impact on present or future relationships. The emotional, behavioral and physical effects of injuries can entirely change everything about the relationship.
If you think your relationship has changed since an injury occurred, below are some things you have to know about staying in a relationship after an injury.
How Does Injury Affect Relationships?
Getting injured is linked with common behavioral and emotional changes. People with severe injuries usually manifest personality fluctuations which can shake up a relationship in the long run.
1. Depression: Having injuries is also associated with depression. Injured people sometimes show signs of depression by isolating themselves from their partners and other family members.
- They tend to have difficulty engaging in social situations that may eventually become a cause of worries for their loved ones.
- In this kind of situation, their family and partner’s attempt to offer support may be resisted, triggering tension in the relationship.
2. Anger: As a result of injuries, survivors tend to direct their feelings of anger towards their partners. This type of situation can also strain a relationship especially if anger gives way to heated arguments.
3. Mood Swings: Remember that people with injuries may have a difficulty handling their own emotions.
- In fact, it would be hard to build and maintain a healthy and positive relationship with them if they have unpredictable mood swings. These mood swings can be characterized as feelings of helplessness, loneliness and even irritation.
- When these irregular mood changes subsist, understanding their feelings may be difficult for their partners to understand, and this may become a problem in the relationship.
4. Inappropriate Behaviors: Dealing with injuries may also mean dealing with inappropriate behaviors.
- Take note that people who’ve been suffering from injuries are generally hard to deal with. Due to their sudden change of emotions, they may have a different perspective on things. They tend to worry too much about what others may think about them.
- They might feel self-conscious about themselves while coping with the injury. For instance, fatigue and low energy tend to distract them from doing their daily activities, thus they have difficulty doing the things they used to enjoy.
- Going through with these behaviors can tremble a relationship.
What To Do To Stay In A Relationship After An Injury?
Coping with trauma and anxiety after an injury can be challenging to both the injured person and their partner. While injuries are related to behavioral and mental effects that can impair a relationship, the same can still be improved if you only choose to. If you’re concerned about your relationship, here are some ways on how to stay in a relationship after an injury.
1. Communicate: Being able to communicate with your partner efficiently is a vital part of making your relationship stronger.
- If you’re upset about anything, refrain from confronting your partner, especially when emotions are high. Allow yourself to calm down before initiating a discussion with them.
- Make sure that communication with your partner is honest and open. If you feel worried about something else, don’t hesitate to approach your partner.
- Keep in mind that being open about your feelings to your partner can help improve the relationship. If you’ve been in a heated argument, find time to talk and try to resolve the misunderstanding as much as possible.
2. Be Supportive: After an injury, it’s vital that you make the reasonable efforts to show your partner that you support and care for them.
- Providing support to the other person after getting injured can help them cope with the relationship.
- Although the effort could be through little gestures, the fact that you’re there for them can be a big help. In these trying times, telling your partner that you love them is what matters most.
3. Seek Professional Help: Even though relationships normally go through difficult times, seeking professional help to improve the relationship can still be an excellent idea.
- While it’s normal to have periods of challenges in a relationship, remember that you should pursue professional help especially if serious problems start to weaken your relationship.
4. Improve Your Sex Life: Having injuries doesn’t necessarily mean that you have to get rid of your sex life. In fact, there are several ways to improve your sex life without thinking about the injury.
- Take note that sex plays a crucial role in maintaining a healthy relationship. In fact, sex and sexuality are a very personal aspect of our lives.
- Although it would be sometimes difficult for a person to talk about sexual changes after the injury, you can still take advantage of some support services and available treatments to help them cope with the negative feelings brought about by the injuries. That way, you’re doing something beneficial to improve your sex life.
In some situations, you may think that you’re required to stay in a relationship despite being miserable. However, you don’t have to leave the relationship simply because you’re unhappy. If you think you’re having relationship issues with your partner after an injury, you should consider speaking to them about how you’re feeling and how you can get help for the problems you both have.
Author Bio: Laura Billings is a law enthusiast and budding writer. She makes it a habit of making sure her pieces are informative enough to help even the common person understand important aspects of the rules of law. Laura likes to read books and write creative pieces during her free time.