As the shelter-in-place edicts have continued from days to weeks to months, we’re all being confronted with a barrage of emotions. We may be seeing new sides of our personalities as we react to the crisis around us and the new and unique challenges it brings, and the same is true for those who are isolating with us.
Dr. Stephanie Buehler recently developed this great article, Sex and Love and Cabin Fever, which elucidates how the pressures of COVID-19 has put us all in unfamiliar situations, and how that may impact our sex lives and relationships. As she shares, “Prolonged proximity like this can take a massive toll on any relationship, but especially on ones with unresolved problems. It can lead to mismatched sex drives, feelings of resentment, and much more.”
Maybe you’re working from home for the first time and having difficulties with the work/life balance, or perhaps the lack of access to spending time outside of the home or having time alone within your “shelter” has resulted in some concerns about personal space and boundaries. On the other side of the coin, this time could also be a great opportunity to discover new ways to grow your relationship, hone your communication skills, and increase intimacy.
Consider discovering new activities that could bring you both pleasure and provide some much needed stress relief. You could learn each other’s love language, treat yourselves to a staycation, and get to (re)know each other with the famed ’36 questions that lead to love‘. You may just find that your bond is strengthened by this time together.
Looking for more ideas or help with the delicate balance of being a couple in quarantine? I’m here for you and offering virtual counseling.