Relationships

      Today in Science we discussed what it means to be in a relationship and what are the differences between unhealthy and healthy relationships. The definition of relationship is;

1. The way in which two or more concepts, objects, or people are connected, or the state of being connected.
2. The state of being connected by blood or marriage.

      As you see in the first and second definition they both have one key word, connected, I believe this is what makes a healthy relationship. The ability to be connected on all levels, from your emotions to the actions you do. Other things I think that make a relationship healthy are factors such as, mutual respect, where the respect that you give to your partner is actually returned back to you. Trust, this is important, you must be able to trust your partner to be in a healthy relationship. Honesty, this factor goes along with trust, to be honest with your partner you must trust them, and honesty shows that there is no fear. Support, no matter what in a healthy relationship, partners should be there for one another. Fairness and equality, in no healthy relationship is one person superior to another, the power and responsibility must be spread equally. Separate identities, even though the partners should be connected, each one should be their own person. I believe these are the essential and fundamental pieces need to put together a healthy relationship.

      Yet not all relationships are like this, so what can a person do if they are in a situation that is perhaps abusive, unsafe or unhappy. Some signs of when a relationship has gone bad include, experiencing yelling and physical brawls in fights. If one partner is belittling the other. Also, if one partner feels the need to change for the other. These are only a few of the warning signs of a unhealthy relationship. All in all, if you ever feel forced to do something or are harmed in any way physically or emotionally, this is when the relationship has become harmful and you should seek help. What are some methods of finding help?  You can do a variety of things from talking a friends, family, teachers if you are still in school. Perhaps seeking professional help from those who are trained. There are also a variety of hotlines and online services that can be used. What is important though, no matter what the process, that the problem is resolved and that both partners are happy.