5.1 Healthy and Unhealthy Relationships

Notes

Relationships include family, friends, classmates and romantic partners. Healthy ones make you feel safe, respected and supported.

• Healthy signs: respect, honesty, trust, equality, support, good communication, and freedom to have other friends and interests.
• Unhealthy signs: control, constant put-downs, jealousy used to limit you, pressure, threats, pushing you to cut off friends, checking your phone or location without agreement.
• Abuse can be physical, emotional or verbal, and it is never the victim's fault.
• Relationships can be mixed. Some conflict is normal in healthy relationships. What matters is whether people treat each other with respect.
• If you feel afraid, controlled or worse about yourself in a relationship, talk to a trusted adult or counselor.
• Example: A friend who says "I'll tell everyone your secret unless you do what I say" is using a threat, which is unhealthy.