Healthy Relationships

A healthy relationship brings more happiness than sadness or stress and gives you the freedom to see your family and friends, go out without the other person, control your own money, make decisions about your body, friends, work, and living situation. In healthy relationships, you communicate with each other with respect, feel safe, are not scared to be honest about how you feel, can say no to sex, listen to each other’s opinions and feelings, don’t control or manipulate each other, and don’t insult or abuse each other when arguing.

All relationships go through hard times, and having disagreements and feeling unhappy are things we all face at different stages. Many relationships go through ups and downs, but abuse is a repeating pattern of behaviour. A relationship may be unhealthy if the other person tries to control you, pressures you, deliberately hurts or threatens you, or puts you down.