Relationships refer to the people we know and the emotional connections we have with them. We all have different types of relationships, including family, friends, acquaintances, and romantic partners. Having healthy relationships can be beneficial to your health, especially when it comes to reducing stress and improving mental and physical well-being. The number and strength of our relationships impact how we feel, how quickly we recover from illness, and even whether we live longer.

A healthy relationship is one in which the people involved have a meaningful emotional connection to each other, and they each make the other feel emotionally fulfilled. They make a commitment to each other and are faithful to each other. They also communicate effectively about their sexuality, and they respect each other’s boundaries. They regularly spend time together, and they have the independence to pursue interests on their own as well.

Healthy relationships also provide a mirror for self-reflection, allowing us to see our own strengths and weaknesses. They can help us develop empathy and the ability to be more accepting of differences in others. On the other hand, unhealthy relationships can lead to toxic habits such as codependent friendships or sexless marriages, and they can cause stress, anxiety, depression, low self-esteem, and poor physical health. Some examples of unhealthy relationships include sex abuse, which is when someone in a relationship physically hurts or exploits another person; and emotional abuse, which is when a person in a relationship humiliates, berates, or insults the other.