Are relationships healthy?

Some relationships can be extremely healthy, such as those between devoted spouses or those between loving parents and their children. These relationships provide stability, security, an opportunity for growth both for individuals and as a couple or a family unit. The traditional family has been the basic building block of every successful society in recorded history.

Recently, the term "relationship" has taken on a different meaning. It has come to refer to two people, dating each other exclusively, in a sexual relationship, and quite likely living together and sharing all aspects of they lives. These relationships may or may not produce children.

These latter types of relationships are decidedly unhealthy. They endanger every aspect of the health and well-being of the participants.

In this article, I'll discuss only the physical, emotional, spiritual and financial consequences for each partner. There are more considerations which could easily be discussed, along with negative effects on the children, but these four should be sufficient to prove my point.

The physical health of partners in a relationships is endangered, and the more relationships, the greater the danger. Sooner or later, one of the participants will meet up with new partner who has an undiagnosed STD. Too much "togetherness" can definitely have a negative effect on health.

It takes six months to get a reliable result from an AIDS test. How many young people are willing to wait that long before engaging in dangerous behaviour with their partner? In my experience, there are not too many. The AIDS virus is much more perilous than the common cold. You cannot exercise too much caution in seeking to avoid it.

Relationships are usually transitory. If this were not understood, the couple would marry or at least become engaged. While living with uncertainty, emotional health is bound to suffer. How can one party truly express his or her feelings when they know the other can leave at a moment's notice? Many times anger, hurt, and other negative emotions are repressed. Lack of communication between a couple is always unhealthy.

When the inevitable explosion occurs, it will probably encompass every grievance since the acquaintanceship began and may well signal the end of the partnership.

In a relationship, there is continual pressure on both parties to be polite, pleasant well-groomed, fun and accommodating. Unfortunately, human nature doesn't work than way. Everyone needs downtime. Trying to keep up an attractive front 24/7 produces serious stress, definitely harmful to one's emotional health. Notice how many people in relationships are chain smokers, or have eating issues. They are seldom at peace.

In danger as well is the spiritual wellbeing of the partners in the relationship. Most adults who grew up in intact families realize that this is the best way to live and the best environment in which to raise children.

Often the partners may rush into a relationship on impulse, only to regret it soon afterward. Staying in a relationship through boredom, through fear of being alone, or because one lacks the courage to leave, cannot fail to disturb a healthy conscience.

Financial security as well, will evade partners in a relationship. In most jurisdictions, "common-law" spouses are each entitled to half the joint property when the partnership dissolves. A person who has participated in a series of relationships with sharp and acquisitive partners will be lucky indeed to end up as financially healthy as he was before he started on the marathon.

Those anxious to preserve their physical, emotional, spiritual and financial health will not even consider entering into a "relationship" in the contemporary sense of the word. Often new inventions, new knowledge and new customs enhance the welfare of the human family. However, this is one new practice which will do those who choose to participate in it, nothing but harm.