Communication: The Difference Between Healthy And Unhealthy Relationships
No matter what type it is, any relationship requires effort. Whether it's with a family member, friend, or especially a significant other, you only get out of a relationship what you're willing to put into it. If there is one form of effort that plays the ex-factor in any successful one more than any other, it is communication.
Why do relationships fail?
The reason why many relationships become unstable or even fail over time is that many people have a hard time communicating. Whether they're too proud or too afraid to speak up, that lack of communication can turn small problems into big ones. Whenever you don't talk about your issues and instead choose to hold them in, it is inevitable that conflicts will result from it. Once you begin having those issues with a significant other, not dealing with them will only push them further away from you.
How to solve issues in any relationship?
While this may sound cliche, the best way to get through issues in any relationship is by taking them out. When those issues are with someone you care about, it is even more crucial to talk with them about it peacefully. Sometimes the people we love can do things to hurt us, many times unintentionally.
Instead of sweeping these things under the rug and pretending they never happened, it's better to discuss these issues so that an understanding can somehow be reached. It doesn't have to be an aggressive or confrontational approach, but you have to express to them how their actions are affecting you so that they know for sure.
Not limited to just negative feelings, many people also have a hard time communicating feelings of love and affection. As hard as it may be to believe, some people can't even bring themselves to say the words "I love you." While it is in many ways more important to show someone how you feel about them, it's tough for them to really know and feel your love for them if you don't openly express it.
How to communicate in a relationship?
Whether it's giving them a compliment, a hug, or just telling them how much you appreciate them, acts like this can make the biggest difference between a happy relationship and one that's merely on life support.
Communicating your positive feelings in relationships is a way of giving the other person a sense of assurance as well as keeps you from having any secrets about how you truly feel about them.
Also in addition to that, one must know the best way to communicate. The problem with many people is that they choose to confront instead of converse. While it is inevitable that a relationship will have its problems, approaching the other person over aggressively and yelling at them usually won't get your point across.
By taking a calmer approach, you'll have a better chance of being listened to and perhaps getting them to see things more from your perspective. Expressing how you feel is one thing, but expressing how you feel to reach a solution should be the main goal in any relationship worth preserving.
Knowing how to communicate in a healthy way is perhaps the most underrated life skill one can have. No matter who the relationship is with, a healthy one is one where you can be honest about how you feel and where the other person can also be as well. Without any dialogue or open communication, the chances of any relationship succeeding are slim to none.
Opinions and Perspectives
I completely agree that communication is vital. In my experience, the moment I stopped being open with my partner, things started falling apart.
The part about people being too proud to speak up really hits home. I've been guilty of this myself and it only made things worse.
Interesting article, but I think it oversimplifies things. Sometimes even with perfect communication, relationships can still fail due to incompatibility.
What really stood out to me was the distinction between confronting and conversing. I never thought about it that way before.
This reminds me of my last relationship. We both thought we were great communicators, but we were just talking at each other, not with each other.
I find it fascinating how the article mentions people struggling to say I love you. My parents were like that, and it definitely affected how I express emotions in my relationships.
The article makes good points about communication, but what about when you're dealing with someone who refuses to listen no matter how calmly you approach them?
Actually, I've found that sometimes taking a break from communication can be healthy. It gives both parties time to process their thoughts.
True that expressing positive feelings is important, but we shouldn't forget about setting boundaries too.
When they mentioned relationships being on life support, that really resonated with me. I've been there and it's exactly how it feels when communication breaks down.
I wish the article had gone into more detail about how to handle conflict when both parties have different communication styles.
You know what's interesting? Sometimes I think we focus so much on verbal communication that we forget about non-verbal cues.
In my marriage, we learned that timing is everything. Even perfect communication at the wrong moment can lead to misunderstandings.
The part about sweeping things under the rug is so accurate. I've seen so many relationships slowly die because of unaddressed issues.
But doesn't anyone else think that some things are better left unsaid? Not everything needs to be discussed.
I disagree with the previous comment. Those little unsaid things tend to pile up and explode later.
The article could have mentioned how cultural differences affect communication styles in relationships.
My therapist told me something similar about the importance of expressing appreciation. It's amazing how much small compliments can strengthen a relationship.
What about long-distance relationships? Communication becomes even more crucial then.
I think the article should have addressed how technology affects modern relationship communication.
The point about being honest about feelings is great, but it's also important to be tactful.
Sometimes I feel like I'm overcommunicating. Is there such thing as too much communication?