Everyone has a vision of how they imagine a relationship should work. It’s a partnership where both people share the responsibilities of life, finely balance their time together with their individual interests and take care of each other in a loving way. They’re always there for each other, but they also keep themselves healthy by pursuing engaging, invigorating activities on their own, cooking gourmet lasagna for the extended family at Thanksgiving and taking turns cleaning the toilet (although not at the same time).
In a long-term relationship, it should be easy to be your most authentic self with your partner because they know you. They accept you for who you are and make you feel loved and appreciated. There shouldn’t be a day that goes by where they don’t make those butterflies flutter in your stomach.
When we’re in a relationship, it’s easy to forget that it’s still two individuals who have their own identities, interests and things they enjoy doing by themselves. It’s a partnership that can bring a lot of joy, but it can also be stressful and upsetting when some disagreements aren’t easily resolved.
Stress in a relationship can impact your mental health, and if it’s not addressed in a healthy manner it can also cause physical symptoms like stomach upset, sleeping issues, chest pain and more. Fortunately, a little communication and a commitment to being respectful can help reduce these effects. We asked a behavioral health therapist at Banner Thunderbird Medical Center about how to manage these problems in a healthy way.