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Does providing emotional support lead to a healthy relationship?

AoifeAoife Community Manager Posts: 3,228 Boards Guru
in Sex & Relationships
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Hey everyone,

Providing emotional support to someone can be a very intimate and rewarding experience, but can that lead to a healthy relationship?

Look forward to hearing your thoughts!

- Aife
Maybe somethings don't get better, but we do. We get stronger. We learn to live with our situations as messy and ugly as they are. We fix what we can and we adapt to what we can't. Maybe some of us will never fully be okay, but at least we're here. We're still trying. We're doing the best we can. That's worth celebrating too ❤

Comments

  • AzzimanAzziman Moderator, Community Champion Posts: 2,103 Boards Champion
    Hi Aife,

    I think it's a fine balance - of course, you have to show some emotional support to your partner as part of a relationship, but on the other hand, it's possible to become too emotionally invested in someone else and their issuesx

    Much love <3
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  • SienaSiena Posts: 15,687 Skive's The Limit
    Hi


    Think it could be healthy - if its not just one sided emotional support otherwise that would be completely draining and overwehlimg. And have to give and take not just give or just take.

    And that they should seek emtional support else where aswell, if theyre really suffering or need extra emtional support


    Also personally i dont think its that healthy if emtional support is the only thing that is happening in the relationship. And may just feel like theyre someones therpist or something, when theyre coutinously & all the time -talking about their problems. And has to be more to a relationship than that aswell.
    But obviously good to be able to talk about feelings on stuff in the relationships & try help ect and feeling of having someone they can express how they feel
    “And when they look at you, they won't see everything you've been through. They won't see the **** that turned to scars that began to fade with time. They won't see the heartbreaking things that shook up and changed your entire world. They won't know how many tears you cried or even what it was you were crying about. They won't see how strong you had to be because you had no other choice. What they will see though is how compassionate you are because you experienced pain. What they will see is how kind you are because you experienced how cruel the world is. What they will see is how good you are because you've seen how bad things or people can be. The difference between you and your experiences are who you choose to be, despite everything that could have turned you cold and unkind.You are the good the world needs and the best of us.” ~ Kirsten Corley
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  • independent_independent_ Community Champion Posts: 9,051 Supreme Poster
    I suppose it can depend - if there’s a balance of support between the 2 people it could make their relationship stronger and healthier. But if it’s all one person giving the support, could become quite overwhelming for that person (supporters need support, too).
    “Sometimes the people around you won’t understand your journey. They don’t need to, it’s not for them.”
  • AoifeAoife Community Manager Posts: 3,228 Boards Guru
    Hey everyone,

    Thank you all so much for sharing your thoughts. You've all mentioned some interesting points about the importance of having the right balance in a relationship when supporting each other. How do you think people can approach their partner if they are finding things quite one-sided in terms of support when they need support themselves? 
    Maybe somethings don't get better, but we do. We get stronger. We learn to live with our situations as messy and ugly as they are. We fix what we can and we adapt to what we can't. Maybe some of us will never fully be okay, but at least we're here. We're still trying. We're doing the best we can. That's worth celebrating too ❤
  • AzzimanAzziman Moderator, Community Champion Posts: 2,103 Boards Champion
    Hi Aife,

    I think that good communication is a good way to address the issue. Talking to your partner and discussing how feel about this one-sided affair helps to bring the problem in front of you. Many times, a partner will accept this, and the both of you can work together to address the imbalance, or atleast find an alternative (for example, if they accept the issue but aren't able to do so for whatever reason, then making an arrangement to have that support from someone else).

    Much love <3
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    I'm a community moderator. I'm here to help guide discussions and make sure Community Guidelines are followed. I can't send DMs, but you can message @TheMix or email community@themix.org.uk with questions or concerns.
  • Former MemberFormer Member Noob Posts: 19 Settling in
    Hi Aife, 

    I kind of disagree with the rest of the comments here and I'm going to go ahead and say emotional support does not lead to a good relationship, at least not if one or both people need a lot of help to get a grasp on their emotions. Obviously we have relationships to make a better life for ourselves, help each other out, etc., but there has to be a balance and it cannot be over the top. It becomes exhausting and it becomes unhealthy very fast, if you treat your partner like a counselor. 
  • SienaSiena Posts: 15,687 Skive's The Limit
    Aife said:
    Hey everyone,

    Thank you all so much for sharing your thoughts. You've all mentioned some interesting points about the importance of having the right balance in a relationship when supporting each other. How do you think people can approach their partner if they are finding things quite one-sided in terms of support when they need support themselves? 
    Ask them if they need extra emtional support else where - as they may be mentally ill or something and a relationship cant cure that and isnt enough
    “And when they look at you, they won't see everything you've been through. They won't see the **** that turned to scars that began to fade with time. They won't see the heartbreaking things that shook up and changed your entire world. They won't know how many tears you cried or even what it was you were crying about. They won't see how strong you had to be because you had no other choice. What they will see though is how compassionate you are because you experienced pain. What they will see is how kind you are because you experienced how cruel the world is. What they will see is how good you are because you've seen how bad things or people can be. The difference between you and your experiences are who you choose to be, despite everything that could have turned you cold and unkind.You are the good the world needs and the best of us.” ~ Kirsten Corley
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