Relationships and Mental Health


Relationships and mental health have a huge impact on our mental and emotional health. Just the same, our mental health also can have an impact on our relationships.

Sometimes we don’t have the right kind of relationships or not enough intimacy/close relationships. Perhaps we’re holding onto toxic relationships that are causing more harm than good.

Whatever the scenario is, relationships can have a huge effect on our mental health just. Just the same, potential mental health struggles might have serious impacts on our relationships.

How Relationships Affect Mental Health 

Relationships are an important part of our everyday lives. And so is our mental health. Sometimes relationships can boost our mental and emotional health. They can also put a strain on them as well.

While the ups and downs in this case are just a part of life, it’s important to be aware of what is causing struggles with mental/emotional health.

How can Relationships Improve Mental Health?

We all know that being around people you love is enjoyable and good for the soul. But what about the mental and emotional benefits of it? Here are a few common ways that relationships help improve mental health.

Trust Building

When you spend time with family and friends, you learn to let your guard down and trust people more. When you feel like you have trusting relationships, it provides a sense of security that you would not get otherwise. 

relationships and mental health

Lowers Anxiety

If you haven’t had enough interaction with close family and friends, you could start to feel more anxious about everyday problems.

Being around other people is great for getting a fresh perspective on things that may bother you. When you share what you’re going through with loved ones, it often reduces anxiety that might otherwise build up.

Reduced Risk of Depression

The same is true for depression. There are several factors that can cause depression.

Some of which include stress from work, financial stress, extreme boredom, feeling like your weekly routine is pointless, unfulfillment, ect.

When you have loved ones to interact with on a regular basis, these feelings and experiences won’t be as predominant.

When you spend too much time alone, your problems might seem “bigger” or more serious than they really are. Again, outside perspectives are a large part of maintaining a healthy mental and emotional state.

Builds Your Self Esteem

Your family and friends care about you. Therefore, they want you to feel good and want good things for you.

Being surrounded by people like that will help build you up and boost your self esteem. Encouragement and feeling worthy if love is an amazing benefit of meaningful relationships.

When you feel loved, you feel worthy of more in life. You may be inspired to go after your goals because of this! This can lead to a lifetime of joy and fulfillment.

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How Relationships can Cause Poor Mental Health?

Unfortunately, the same is true for unhealthy relationships. When you’re around people who are constantly tearing you down, you could eventually find yourself suffering mentally and emotionally.

Here are a few ways that problematic relationships could affect your mental/emotional health.

Contributes to Depression

Loss of a loved one and divorce are common relationship related causes of depression. Continued stress or emotional strain that someone may put on you has just as much potential to cause of depression.

If you’re in a relationship with someone who is constantly stressing you out, you can develop depression over time if the situation is not resolved.

Genetics may also play a role in depression.

Depression is only a result of genetics when several factors are at play including certain genetic makeup that causes the individual to be more vulnerable to low moods and emotional swings.

Anxiety

Similar to how depression can be formed from relationships, anxiety can be a cause from them as well.

If you’re conditioned by someone long enough, you can develop anxiety from dealing with someone’s unpredictable mood swings or temper.

This is typically seen with mental and physical abuse victims but can also be the case with those who are not necessarily being abused. Each case is different with its own underlying factors.

relationships and mental health

Extreme Stress

Living with constant worry and stress due to a relationship (typically a partner) is more damaging than being alone and experiencing loneliness.

When there are unresolved issues that continue to fester, the stress of that can cause crippling anxiety and could eventually lead to disease. 

Studies have shown that people who are socially active experience far more benefits than people who do not.

They have a higher sense of connection which contributes to a more positive outlook on life.

When someone has a positive outlook, they will be less likely to develop disease, depression and other emotionally related illnesses.

It should also be known that relationships can have positive and negative effects on your physical health as well.

Your mental and emotional health are not the only areas of your life being affected. Here are a few positive ways relationships affect your physical health.

Supports Your Immune System

Feelings of love can have amazing effects on the human body. When you’re happy and lighthearted, your body functions more efficiently. Your immune system is boosted and you resist illness much better as well. 

mental vs emotional health

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Decreases Risk of Disease

Similarly, your risk of disease is lessened as your body and immune system will be healthier.

Everyday we have the potential to come into contact with harmful germs/bacteria that could put us at risk for developing disease.

When your body is fortified and your mind is in a healthy state your ability to fight off disease is much higher than if you were in a poor state of mental or emotional health.

Longevity

This may not be the case for those with underlying conditions. However, it is known that with some people, being social and having meaningful connections significantly increases the chances of a longer life.

When you’re happier and positive your body functions more optimally. When you’re functioning to the best of your ability, you’ll encounter less physical issues, resulting in a longer lifespan.

Better Heart Health

When you’re enjoying healthy, supportive relationships, your blood pressure will be at a level which can help prevent heart problems and disease later in life.

Maintaining a good blood pressure is crucial for so many areas of health. Just by meeting up with friends or family on a regular basis, you could be doing your heart a favor currently and and later in life.

How Mental Health can Affect Couples

Looking at the other side of mental health/relationships, if someone is struggling with their mental health, that could affect relationships in a variety of ways.

You can see how complex various relationships and situations can get as one component plays off the other and vice versa.

How Anxiety & Depression Affect Romantic Relationships

Anxiety and depression are two of the most common forms of mental health issues. People live with these struggles on a daily basis.

When someone is experiencing anxiety or depression it makes them act differently than if they were not experiencing it.

relationships and mental health

This could put a strain on the relationship as the individual with anxiety may avoid doing things they typically would.

They may pick up troubling behaviors that they didn’t previously have. 

A person struggling with anxiety could start procrastinating which could lead to neglect in certain important areas.

Another way anxiety manifests itself is that it sometimes makes the individual seem self centered. They may come off as needy or that they don’t care about other people around them.

Including their spouse or partner. This can be hard to deal with as often there is some sort of co-dependency taking place in a romantic relationship.

It can also be hard to be around someone with anxiety as they will never seem to be able to “loosen up” or enjoy themselves. It’s hard to relax and enjoy life when your partner is in a constant state of anxiety or panic. 

The same is true for someone struggling with depression. People with depression often neglect basic areas of their daily lives such as personal hygiene, their jobs and other daily activities.

This can put a strain on the relationship as the people around them are not only worried about them, but they may be put in difficult positions and may have to intervene at some point. 

If the relationship(s) is not strong enough or the other people are not understanding the the outcome may be severe.

If someone does not have the capacity to deal with someone suffering from anxiety/depression, the relationship may come to an end.

Of course, this could lead to even more mental and/or emotional health struggles. Anxiety and depression both take a toll on both the person experiencing them and the people around them. Especially those they live with.

Other Mental Illnesses and Their Effects on Relationships

There are several other mental health conditions that affect relationships on a daily basis. Various diagnosed mental health disorders such as Schizotypal Personality Disorder or Dependent Personality Disorder have been known to disrupt relationships.

While the person living with Schizotypal Personality Disorder typically will not choose to be in a romantic relationship, someone with Dependent Personality Disorder will.

Both of these disorder examples that may cause issues within relationships are very different. However, they are both typically very hard to overcome without treatment. 

To summarize each, Schizotypal PD houses characteristics that will isolate the individual suffering with it.

They typically choose not to be in a romantic relationship, although the most likely will have a couple close relatives in their trust circle (typically a parent or a sibling).

Having a relationship with someone with Schizotypal PD can be lonely. They will typically come off as cold and emotionless.

Those who chose to stay in the lives of people with this disorder will have an internal struggle of how to approach the relationship since often it will seem one sided.

Those with Dependent PD, are a totally different scenario.

They will be so dependent on their romantic partner that they will rarely be able to express their own opinions.

People with a dependent disorder will not achieve their own goals in life, or even complete basic tasks without wanting the input of their partner or others around them.

They are so dependent and constantly worry about the approval of others that they will come off as clingy and annoying.

This is a lot for anyone in a relationship to handle as much needed boundaries may seem nonexistent. 

If you’d like to learn more about the effects that anxiety has on relationships, I found this article from goodtherapy.org very interesting.

Common Questions

How can You Tell a Loved One About Your Mental Health Struggles?

Set up an uninterrupted time to talk and tell them. It might seem hard to let someone in on such a personal level, but if you really want them to be aware then you should feel no shame in being honest with them.

If they care about you, they will want the best for you. And what’s best for you is having those you care about the most know what is going on with you.

Unless they’re totally uncomfortable discussing mental and emotional health issues, you should get the love and support you need from them.

They may also be able to offer advice or suggestions to help you.

Make sure that before you tell them you’re absolutely sure that you want to share that information with them.

Opening up about what you’re experiencing is a very personal and vulnerable thing. You should be sure that no matter what the outcome is, you’re glad you opened up about it.

It’s rare for someone to be rejected in this type of situation. However, there are some people who may not be familiar with mental health who may still be afraid to discuss it.

For generations, mental health was swept under the rug. Years of ignoring it lead to huge problems that have rippled throughout generations.

Some people aren’t yet ready to confront the thought of accepting mental or emotional struggles as the “norm” but that’s okay. Be open and honest about your experiences.

Often, someone can start to work on thot own issues if they realize those around them are open to acknowledging and working through their own.

How can I Encourage Someone to Get Help with Their Mental Health Struggles?

If you’re aware of someone you know that is struggling with mental and/or emotional health issues and you think they should get help, opening up in a relatable way might be a good place to start.

It can be a very sensitive subject if someone approached someone else about your concerns for their well-being. You don’t want to “scare them away” from potentially receiving treatment either.

Usually if it’s a parent, sibling or close friend this will be a bit easier as they typically know that you have their best interests at heart.

Each scenario is different so approach it to the best of your ability and offer a solution to an obvious problem.

relationships and mental health

People who are noticeably struggling may be more open to let you in on their struggles if they feel like you may have a solution to their problem.

I hope this helps you understand more about relationships and mental health.

Understanding the pros and cons of how relationships affect mental and emotional health can have a huge impact on the motivation behind seeking out beneficial social connections.

Just as importantly, understanding how daily mental health struggles affect important relationships around you can help pinpoint areas of frustration.

As previously mentioned, here is the discount link to sign up for online therapy (plus the “extras” toolbox) at 20% off your first month! START ONLINE COUNSELING 20% OFF

More From the Blog…

Resources and Helpful Articles

health.harvard.edu – mind and mood

psychologytoday.com

mblblogger

Hi, I'm Marissa! I'm passionate about mental and emotional health and want to share what I've learned over the years with others! I've seen first hand how mental health struggles can cause serious issues within relationships, work life, daily productivity, self-worth and more! I truly believe that we owe it to ourselves to bring more awareness to these life changing topics. Start your mental/emotional health journey by learning more today!

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