What are unhealthy relationships?

Relationships can be romantic or platonic. Your romantic partner, a close friend, a relative, boss or work colleague, a neighbour. Unhealthy relationships are one-sided, where one person makes all the effort to keep the other happy, in other words ‘walking on eggshells’ around the other person.

Unhealthy relationships are often defined by these characteristics:

Bullying intimidation, pressure, blame, control, disrespect, dishonesty, drama, fear, financial abuse, gaslighting, guilt, hostility, jealousy, possessiveness, isolation, loneliness, negativity, aggression, ridicule, being undermined, gaslighting, guilt, stress, negativity and verbal, emotional and physical abuse. 

Here are some key relationship problems:

• Do you feel unable to express what you really think and feel around other person? 
• Do you have difficulty saying no to people? 
• Is communication between you minimal and often negative?
• Do you feel unsupported and misunderstood?
• Do you feel controlled or manipulated in this relationship?
• Does conflict lead to resentment, stress and drama instead of resolution and improved empathy?
• Is there a lack of trust in your relationship?
• Is one partner is rarely prepared to listen?
• Are your differences criticised rather than respected?
• Is there controlling behaviour, such as cutting off access to finance, other people you are close to or making it difficult to leave the situation? 

Unhealthy relationships impact your physical health:

Our emotional health directly impacts our physical health, because the body and mind are not two separate entities. They are inter- connected in a delicate and intricate way. They affect our sleep, energy levels, mood swings and irritability, impact our concentration digestive issues, weight loss and gain.