What makes a relationship healthy?
Whether you are with your first real girlfriend or boyfriend, just talking to someone, or you have been married to your significant other for 10 years, it is easy to feel like your relationship is just not cutting it. We are surrounded by stories and images of “perfect” relationships, yet somehow no one has given us the magic formula that produces this kind of connection. So how do we do it? Do we take a note from this season’s Bachelor or Bachelorette and follow our hearts? Should we pay tribute to every Nicholas Sparks novel and give up absolutely everything for love? What if, instead of looking to romance novels and fairy tale endings, we looked at what is advised by the relationship professionals?
Healthy and unhealthy relationships are categorized by several different characteristics. While you and your partner may totally be in love, it is important to consider whether the two of you have a healthy and functioning relationship together. Below are 10 characteristics of a healthy relationship and 8 characteristics of an unhealthy relationship- what do you see most often between you and your partner?
| UNHEALTHY RELATIONSHIPS | HEALTHY RELATIONSHIPS |
| Control Hostility Dishonesty Disrespect Dependence Intimidation Physical violence Sexual violence | Mutual Respect Trust Honesty Compromise Individuality Good Communication Anger Control Fighting Fair Problem Solving Self Confidence |
Take a look at the chart above and think about which type of relationship you would rather be in. Of course, we all want to be in healthy relationships. But how can we make that happen? The short answer: by finding the right person and putting in the effort.
References:
- “Characteristics Of Healthy & Unhealthy Relationships | Youth.Gov”. Youth.Gov, 2021, https://youth.gov/youth-topics/teen-dating-violence/characteristics. Accessed 3 Aug 2021.
