Understanding relationships
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Relationships are one of the most important parts of being human. Not only do we rely on them for our mental and emotional wellbeing, we depend on them for our survival.
Just like having food and shelter are basic physical needs, feeling connected and loved are basic emotional needs.
Feeling connected isn’t about the number of friends you have, or how many people follow you on social media. It’s about how comfortable and supported you feel by the people in your life and how safe you feel in their presence.
- Feeling connected to others helps us:
- Feel a sense of belonging
- Develop healthy self-esteem
- Manage our stress levels
- Find support during tough times
- Lower anxiety and depression symptoms
- Prevent loneliness.
Studies show that if we feel more socially connected to our family, friends, and community, we are more likely to be happier, physically healthier, live longer, and experience fewer mental health challenges.
“Even though our need for social connection is important, it isn’t a reason to rush into or stay in a relationship that isn’t respectful, genuine, and most importantly, safe.”
Relationships that are continuously problematic or just don’t feel ‘right’, can make us:
- Sad
- Distressed
- Overwhelmed
- Lonely
- Experience low self-esteem.
Keep in mind that there’s no such thing as a ‘perfect relationship’.
We’re all going to have moments when we disagree with or feel hurt by a friend, family member, colleague, or intimate partner.
The key is knowing if and how the problem(s) should be solved.
