The Mental Health Foundation* defines relationships as ‘the way in which two or more people are connected, or the state of being connected’. Relationships include the intimate relationships we have with our respective partners, those we form with our parents, siblings and grandparents, and those we form socially with our friends, work colleagues, teachers, healthcare professionals and community. *https://www.mentalhealth.org.uk/ |
Relationships are one of the most important aspects of our lives, yet we can often forget just how crucial our connections with other people are for our physical and mental health and wellness. It is the quality of our relationships what actually matters.
A healthy relationship needs to have a safe, open and honest communication; Respect of Boundaries, Self-care, trust, independence, kindness, equality, teamwork and respectful conflict resolution.
What are the benefits of having healthy relationships?
There are many, hard to put them in a list, but these are some of the most relevant for us:
- The immune system works better (so we get sick less often)
- There is less stress - we don't live under threatening situations
- Lifestyle gets healthier as well - more energy to accomplish tasks
- Self-esteem as we feel valued and cared for
- There is more fun and fulfillment as we share good times
- Safe environment that allows us to trust and ask for help if needed
There are many, hard to put them in a list, but these are some of the most relevant for us:
- The immune system works better (so we get sick less often)
- There is less stress - we don't live under threatening situations
- Lifestyle gets healthier as well - more energy to accomplish tasks
- Self-esteem as we feel valued and cared for
- There is more fun and fulfillment as we share good times
- Safe environment that allows us to trust and ask for help if needed
Adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) are potentially traumatic events that occur during the first 18 years of life. ACEs can include neglect; physical, emotional and sexual abuse; household challenges of parental separation, substance misuse, incarceration, violence and mental illness; and social factors such as economic hardship, homelessness and discrimination.
Focusing on building healthy families early in life can help prevent ACEs and reduce their effects.
Focusing on building healthy families early in life can help prevent ACEs and reduce their effects.
- "Preventing ACEs could have reduced the number of adults who had heart disease by as much as 13% – up to 1.9 million avoided cases
- Preventing ACEs could have reduced the number of adults who were overweight/obese by as much as 2% – up to 2.5 million avoided cases of overweight/obesity
- Preventing ACEs could have reduced the number of adults with depression by as much as 44% – up to 21 million avoided cases of depression"
What are Adverse Childhood Experiences and how do they affect health in adulthood:
TedTalk - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=95ovIJ3dsNk
TedTalk - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=95ovIJ3dsNk
A healthy relationship must start with mutual respect, and that includes the respect of personal boundaries. Click HERE to learn more about it.
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