Healthy is a very small word, yet it contains such a broad concept. As stated in my previous article titled, “Healthy Hobbies to Improve Your Life,” health consists of more than one aspect of life.

To be specific, health consists of the food you put into your body, the exercises you do on a regular basis, the hobbies you are involved in, and the types of relationships you keep.

In the following article, I will discuss what types of relationships people have in their lives. Then, I will tell you what makes up a healthy relationship and what makes up an unhealthy relationship. Let’s get started.

Different Types of Relationships

In your earliest years of being alive, you develop relationships with those surrounding you. Most of the time this is your family.

Family can range from parent to sibling, from grandparent to aunt and uncle, from cousin to second cousin. Depending on how close your parents are to the remainder of your family will depend on which members will be in your life.

As you age and begin to attend school, you meet friends and authoritative figures. Friends are the people you can trust. Friends are the people you respect. Friends are the people you genuinely care for. Authoritative figures consist of teachers, counselors, babysitters, bosses, medical professionals, etc. These are the people you’ll depend on. These are also the people that will have some sort of power over you.

Then, as you become mature, you will encounter relationships that are romantic. Partners or significant others are those that you feel a special connection with, or a sort of chemistry. These relationships may or may not lead to sex.

Now, I understand you know all of these relationships; You’ve probably experienced each and every one. But, do you know what a healthy and an unhealthy relationship consist of?

Healthy Relationships

The characteristics listed below are the aspects you want to be present in a relationship.

Respect

Respect is the key to all relationships. If there is no respect, there is no healthy relationship. You need to be able to treat people with the same decency as they show you, you need to show them that they are an important part of your life, and you need to value them for the person that they are.

Trust

In any type of relationship, you must be able to trust. Being reliable and honest, and having the other person be reliable and honest, is the only way the two of you will see eye to eye. And, trust promotes confidence.

Honesty

Honesty goes hand in hand with trust. But, it’s a little bit more complex than that. In a healthy relationship, both parties have to be able to admit when they are wrong. Honesty is also about sharing your thoughts, and not being judged or ridiculed for them in turn.

Support

Just like when husband and wife take their vows, all relationships should take their vows to support the opposing party. Both sides of the relationship, whether it is a mother and daughter, or a boyfriend and girlfriend, should be able to be there for the person in good times and in bad.

Equality

Both sides of the relationship have to agree to do things that the other likes. This rule applies even if one of the persons does not like the activity. For example, if a sister likes to go out drinking, but the other sister likes to go out to the movies, they need to keep a sense of equality in their relationship. Make sure the relationship is not only one sided. One person should not make all the decisions.

Separate Identity

Each person in any relationship has his or her own sense of self. They have their own friends, their own family, and their own hobbies. This means his or her own sense of self is separate from the other person’s sense of self. Which, in turn, means that each person in a relationship should be able to do things, and maintain other relationships, outside of the relationship example I am speaking about.

Great Communication

Great communication really holds a relationship together by giving each person in the relationship the opportunity to be open with the other person. This includes any and everything in life, with no judgment. This only applies if the other person really hears what you’re saying and takes it seriously.

Enjoyment

Being around the person, and genuinely enjoying your time with the person is a huge aspect of maintaining a healthy relationship. Having fun together is an additional plus.

Safety

When in a healthy relationship, you must feel completely comfortable around them and completely safe in order for it to be healthy. Knowing that no harm will come to you by their hands also plays into the whole trust aspect of the relationship.

All of the above qualities are aspects of healthy relationships. This can pertain to any and all relationships; Whether it’s a relationship with your father, your cousin, your significant other, or your child, it doesn’t matter. Having all of these aspects ensures you are a part of a healthy relationship.

With that being said, if you are in an unhealthy relationship, here are some of the issues to look out for:

• Jealousy
  • This specifically pertains to when people are jealous over you spending time with other people. This does not pertain to, for example, your significant other getting mad at you for flirting with another girl while you are in a relationship.

• Clinginess
  • This specifically pertains to when the other person in the relationship wants to be with you all the time and does not allow for personal space.

• Excessive Arguing
  • This specifically pertains to actual fights happening all the time.

• Disregarding Feelings
  • This specifically pertains to when the other person in the relationship does not care about your feelings and does not care about whether you are upset or not. For example, if your significant other has trust issues and would like to call you when they get out of work, but you don’t like talking on the phone, try to understand how she may feel. Don’t disregard her feelings.

• Threats
  • This specifically pertains to when someone tries to intimidate or control you in order to get what he or she wants from you.

• Persistence
  • This specifically pertains to when someone cannot simply take “NO” as an answer. Typically, they will continue to try and get you to do something.

• Guilt
  • This specifically pertains to when someone makes you feel bad for not doing something that they’ve asked for. But, keep in mind, this does not pertain to if you have already dedicated yourself to something, and you back out; If this is the case, guilt is not possible.

Then, we have the obvious instances of an unhealthy relationship:

• Physical Abuse
• Emotional Abuse
• Financial Abuse
• Digital Abuse

If any of these unhealthy relationship signs arise, try to exit it as soon as possible.

 

By Jenny Lyn