Relationships are important for our mental, emotional and physical health. Research has shown that strong social connections make people feel happier and healthier, boost the immune system and help us heal faster from illness. They also increase self-esteem, reduce the risk of depression and even lengthen our lives. Relationships can take many forms including friendships, dating and marriage.
People in healthy relationships are happy to be around each other, enjoy being together and are often affectionate with one another such as holding hands or giving frequent hugs and kisses. They are also able to spend time apart without feeling that their relationship suffers. They don’t try to control their partner or think that they need to be constantly available for them. Instead, they make their own interests and friends a priority while spending time with each other.
They are able to communicate openly and honestly, and can agree to disagree respectfully. They are not afraid to share their feelings, needs, fears and concerns. They respect each other’s boundaries and do not act in ways that make the other feel hurt, embarrassed or humiliated. They also value each other’s individuality and don’t change who they are just to be in a relationship. They also accept and celebrate differences.
It is common for couples to argue from time to time. However, if there is abuse or violence in the relationship it can be harmful to both partners and should never be tolerated. Some signs of a unhealthy or abusive relationship include verbal and emotional abuse, controlling behavior, sexual aggression, domestic violence and other types of physical abuse.
The concept of family is different for everyone. For some, family includes their children and spouse while for others it might be a close group of friends. It can also include relatives by birth, adoption or choice as well as coworkers and neighbours. Regardless of how you define family, the important characteristics of family are support, mutual trust, regular interactions, shared beliefs and values and security.
A healthy relationship also has fun and laughter. Being able to laugh with each other and joke together is good for a relationship and can help to relieve tension and stress. It’s a way to show each other that you care and love them. It’s also an important way to show that you are supportive of each other during tough times.
Defining what a healthy relationship looks like for you and your partner is an important step in the process of getting into one. It’s important to understand what you both want from the relationship and whether or not you can meet those expectations. Ultimately, figuring out what type of relationship you want can also save you both time and effort and help prevent problems down the road. For example, if you both want a relationship that resembles a friendship with the added benefit of sex and intimacy then this is likely something that you will be able to achieve if you can set clear boundaries from the outset.