Unhealthy relationships can have a significant detrimental impact on your health, happiness, and overall well-being.
You deserve to have relationships with people who support you and your interests.
Are You in a Healthy Relationship?
Verywell / Theresa Chiechi
Common Characteristics of Unhealthy Relationships
Every relationship is different and may change over time.
And there are some important qualities that tend to characterize unhealthy relationships.
Relationships that are marked by these dynamics and problems tend to contribute to moretension, conflict, andstress.
Control
In unhealthy relationships, one personmay have a go at controlthe other person’s life.
This may be done through intimidation, but it can also involve other types ofmanipulation.
Sometimes the person may engage in behaviors that seem extremely affectionate and loving.
Controlling behavior can also involve isolating a person from their friends and family.
Control may also take the form of possessiveness and jealousy.
Lack of Trust
Unhealthy relationships are often marked by a lack of trust.
so you can develop healthy trust, both people in a relationship have to engage in mutual, reciprocalself-disclosure.
This involves revealing things about yourself over time as the relationship deepens and grows.
The process of sharing and listening contributes to feelings ofemotional intimacyand closeness.
How trusting you and your partner are may be shaped, in part, by your overallattachment style.
Disrespect
Disrespect can take a variety of forms in unhealthy relationships.
Sometimes it might mean someone being dismissive of the other person.
Poor Communication
Good communication is a cornerstone of any healthy relationship.
Unhealthy relationships are often marked by patterns of ineffective communication.
Am I in an Unhealthy Relationship?
Relationships often grow, change, shift, and sometimes fall apart over time.
Or you might feel like you always have to hide what you really think or feel.
Sometimes unhealthy behaviors can emerge during times of extreme stress.
Unhealthy patterns can sometimes emerge during times of stress or conflict.
Change is possible if both people are committed to addressing the problems and are open to making a change.
When one person is unwilling to change their unhealthy behavior, the relationship is likely not savable.
Maintain Interdependence
Healthy relationships encourageinterdependenceinstead ofcodependence.
Couples therapycan help address both individual and mutual issues that might exist in a relationship.
Avoiding conflict is not possible or even advisableeven healthy relationships experience disagreement and conflict.
The key is knowing how to handle it effectively.
Therapy can be helpful if you are in an unhealthy relationship.
A therapist can help you work on individual issues and aid you in learning new coping and communication skills.
Therapy may be most beneficial when both people are willing to participate and are committed to making a change.
When to End an Unhealthy Relationship
Not every relationship isworth saving.
For more mental health resources, see ourNational Helpline Database.
Youth.gov.Characteristics of healthy and unhealthy relationships.
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