BUILDING THRIVING RELATIONSHIP (Part 1)

Human beings are social by nature. The connections we build with others are critical to our social, emotional, and physical health. Knowing how to maintain relationships can help you build a support system that provides strength as you cope with life’s challenges and boost your productivity.

WHAT IS A RELATIONSHIP?

A relationship is any connection between two or more people, which can either be positive or negative. You can have a relationship with a wide range of people, including family and friends. The phrase "being in a relationship," while often linked with romantic relationships, can refer to a variety of associations one person has with another.

To "be in a relationship" doesn't always mean there is physical intimacy, emotional attachment, and/or commitment involved. People engage in many different types of relationships that have unique characteristics.

While it can be easy to get caught up in the busyness of everyday life, make it a habit to spend time cultivating and protecting your relationships with the people who matter the most. A little time, attention, and effort can ensure that you are giving people the support they need and that you get the same support in return.

WHY RELATIONSHIPS MATTER

Research has found that relationships can have a number of important benefits for physical and psychological health. When you have thriving relationships, you may feel more motivated to engage in behaviours that are good for your health and general well-being, boost productivity, make money, be successful, etc.

FORMS OF RELATIONSHIP

Relationships typically may fall into one of several different categories, these includes:

► Family relationships

► Friendships

► Acquaintances

► Romantic relationships

► Sexual relationships

► Work relationships

► Situational relationships (sometimes called "Situationships")

Some of the different forms of relationships that you might experience at some point in your life include the following.

1. Platonic Relationships

A platonic relationship is a type of friendship that involves a close, intimate bond without sex or romance. These relationships tend to be characterized by: Closeness, Fondness, Understanding, Respect, Care, Support, Honesty, Acceptance, Etc.

Platonic relationships can occur in a wide range of settings and can involve same-sex or opposite-sex friendships. You might form a platonic relationship with a classmate or co-worker, or you might make a connection with a person in another setting such as a club, athletic activity, or volunteer organization you are involved in.

This type of relationship can play an essential role in providing social support, which is essential for your health and well-being. Research suggests that platonic friendships can help reduce your risk for disease, lower your risk for depression or anxiety, and boost your immunity.

1. Romantic Relationships

Romantic relationships are those characterized by feelings of love and attraction for another person. While romantic love can vary, it often involves either feelings of infatuation, intimacy, or commitment.

Experts have come up with a variety of different ways to describe how people experience and express love. For example, psychologist Robert Sternberg suggests three main components of love: passion, intimacy, and decision/commitment. Romantic love, he explains, is a combination of passion and intimacy.

Romantic relationships tend to change over time. At the start of a relationship, people typically experience stronger feelings of passion. During this initial period, the brain releases specific neurotransmitters (dopamine, oxytocin, and serotonin) that cause people to feel euphoric and "in love."

Over time, these feelings start to lessen in their intensity. As the relationship matures, people develop deeper levels of emotional intimacy and understanding. Romantic relationships often burn hot at the beginning. While the initial feelings of passion usually lessen in strength over time, feelings of trust, emotional intimacy, and commitment grow stronger.

1. Codependent Relationships

A codependent relationship is an imbalanced, dysfunctional type of relationship in which a one person has an emotional, physical, or mental reliance on the other person.

It is also common for both to be mutually co-dependent on each other. Both may take turns enacting the caretaker role, alternating between the caretaker and the receiver of care.

Characteristics of a codependent relationship include: Acting as a giver while the other person acts as a taker, Going to great lengths to avoid conflict with the other person, Feeling like you have to ask permission to do things, Having to save or rescue the other person from their own actions, Doing things to make someone happy, even if they make you uncomfortable, Feeling like you don't know who you are in the relationship, Elevating the other person even if they've done nothing to earn your goodwill and admiration, Etc.

Not all codependent relationships are the same. However, Codependency can impact all different types of relationships including relationships between romantic partners, parents and children, friendship, other family members, and even coworkers.

1. Casual Relationships

Casual relationships often involve dating relationships that may include sex without expectations of commitment. However, experts suggest that the term is vague and can mean different things to different people.

According to a study published in the Canadian Journal of Human Sexuality, casual relationships can encompass situations such as: Friends with benefits, One-night stands, Booty calls, "Sex" buddies, Etc.

Such relationships often exist on a range that varies in the levels of frequency of contact, type of contact, amount of personal disclosure, discussion of the relationship, and degree of friendship. Casual relationships are often common among young adults.

As long as casual relationships are marked by communication and consent, they can have several sex-positive benefits. They can satisfy the need for sex, intimacy, connection, and companionship without the emotional demand and energy for commitment of a more serious relationship.

1. Toxic Relationships

A toxic relationship is any relationship where your emotional, physical, or psychological well-being is undermined or threatened in some way. Such relationships often leave you feeling ashamed, humiliated, misunderstood, or unsupported.

Any type of relationship can be toxic including friendships, family relationships, romantic relationships, or workplace relationships.

Toxic relationships are characterized by: A lack of support, Blaming, Competitiveness, Controlling behaviours, Disrespect, Dishonesty, Hostility, Jealousy, Passive-aggressive behaviours, Poor communication, Stress, Etc.

Sometimes all people in a relationship play a role in creating this toxicity. For example, you may be contributing to toxicity if you are all consistently unkind, critical, insecure, and negative.

In other cases, one person in a relationship may behave in ways that create toxic feelings. This may be intentional, but in other cases, people may not fully understand how they are affecting other people. Because of their past experiences with relationships, often in their home growing up, they may not know any other way of acting and communicating.