My best friend from high school was in a relationship with a fun and eccentric guy. I loved hanging out with them because I was always laughing and having a good time. On occasion, I saw a side of her boyfriend that I didn’t like. Sometimes he would blow up on her, and other times he would say crude remarks like “you’re such a fat a$$”—not cool. During the time they dated I watched her experiment with drugs, risky sexual behaviors, teen drinking, and battles of depression and thoughts of suicide. I didn’t know what to do, other than continue to be her friend. They continued to date for three years and then broke up. My friend was noticeably happier when it was over, but guess what? She is now in another relationship with a crummy guy.

I had another friend whose girlfriend would text him 30 times an hour to see where he was. If she learned he was with me, she would flip out and make him leave. It got to the point where we had to sneak around her because she was so insecure. I want to add, nothing was ever going on between us, she just invaded every aspect of his life: friends, family, Facebook, school, and sports. It wasn’t fun to see my friend go through such a demanding relationship.

High school relationships are our building blocks for our adult relationships. Take a moment and think of what you hope for in a future wife, husband, or companion. Write down what you come up with.

I am guessing you want a great relationship that is honest, trustworthy, happy, and safe. To find a relationship like that in the future, you need to start looking for those qualities now. More importantly, you need to recognize the warning signs of unhealthy relationships.

What is a healthy relationship?

Abusive relationships were once thought as physical contact that causes harm to another person. Though that is a form of abuse (physical abuse), there are several other forms of relationship abuse that adolescents face. Adolescent Health Collaborative has provided a helpful chart in recognizing teen relationship abuse.

Why are healthy relationships for teens SO important?

Teens that are in abusive relationships tend to have depression, low self-esteem, teen pregnancies, use illegal drugs, have STD’s, mental illness, and suicide risk. Protect you and your friends’ futures by seeking respectable healthy relationship.  Let us know if you have any questions or need any help with that.