Healthy vs. Unhealthy

Relationships can include healthy and unhealthy behaviors. What matters is noticing patterns, how they affect you, and whether you feel respected and safe.

EXPLORE A RELATIONSHIP SKILL

Respect

Respect means valuing each other as people, listening to boundaries, and treating differences with care.

HEALTHY

This can look like

Your boundaries, opinions, time, and choices are treated as important.

Examples

Listening when you say no
Taking your opinions seriously
Supporting your interests and goals

UNHEALTHY

Pay attention when

Your feelings or limits are repeatedly dismissed, mocked, or pressured.

Examples

Guilt-tripping you for setting a limit
Putting you down or embarrassing you
Acting as if their wants always matter more

MAY BE ABUSIVE

Take seriously

Fear, threats, intimidation, or control are not normal parts of a respectful relationship.

Examples

Using fear or threats to control choices
Repeatedly ignoring your right to say no
Trying to isolate you from people who support you

One behavior does not always tell the whole story. Look at the pattern: Do you generally feel respected, free to make choices, and safe being yourself?

CHECK IN WITH YOURSELF

How does the relationship make you feel?

Can I be myself around this person?
Can I say no or disagree without being afraid?
Are my boundaries respected?
Can I spend time with other people and have my own interests?
When something goes wrong, can we talk about it without fear or humiliation?

Explore Am I Safe? Get Help

Learn more: This page is informed in part by One Love Foundation's educational framework for recognizing healthy and unhealthy relationship behaviors. Healthy relationship signs ↗ Unhealthy relationship signs ↗