What's Normal in a Relationship?
If your parents are divorced, it's safe to say that there was something wrong in their relationship and you should definitely not base your idea of the right relationship on what you saw your parents had. What, then, does a "normal" relationship look like?
There are still arguments...
In a good relationship, it's too much to expect that you will never argue. You're still different people, and you're not always going to agree. That's okay and perfectly normal. What you can expect, though, is that you won't be arguing all the time. If you're fighting constantly, that's not normal anymore. The occasional argument, though, isn't too much to worry about. The passion will fade...
Passionate love is just the first stage of a happy relationship. So the heart racing, hands sweating, intense stage of love won't last forever. That's perfectly normal, and when it disappears it's nothing to worry about. |
...but there is no abuse.
Abuse in any way shape or form is not normal and should not be accepted. Nor should you be the abuser. Physical and sexual abuse are easier to spot - if your boyfriend/girlfriend hits you or has sex with you without your consent. The trickier one, though, is emotional abuse. That's when someone uses things like humiliation, criticism, and isolating you from friends and family to hurt you. And that's not right. To learn more about emotional abuse, check out this website. If you are in an abusive relationship, get help now. Call 1-800-799-SAFE(7233). ...but the love should not.
In a long lasting relationship, you bond with each other. It's a less intense, but longer term feeling of caring and attachment. While it's a different type of love, it's no less real, and it's completely normal. |