i’m exhausted this morning, most of it being due to some insomnia as a result of a stupid mosquito and an overly excited mind. so instead of coming up with something original, i’ll post the contents of a slide on “Unhealthy Love” from a workshop I attended last night on Teen Issues. for those of us well past our teenage years, this is still very applicable. these are (just a few) signs that you or someone you know is in an unhealthy relationship:

  • feeling consumed in the relationship
  • often answering for the partner in conversations
  • sado-masochism (either or both)
  • extremely afraid to let go
  • excessive fear of risk, change, or the unknown
  • little individual growth
  • very few truly intimate experiences
  • playing mind games
  • trying to get something by giving
  • trying to change other people
  • needing others to feel secure or happy
  • seeking THE magical solution
  • refusing to ever commit
  • looking to others for a sense of self-worth
  • being afraid when routinely separated
  • repeatedly experiencing negative feelings
  • being afraid of affection and closeness
  • cares with excessive detachment
  • frequent playing of “Power Games”

all i have to say is wow, this really opened my eyes.

if you work with teenagers, i have some more resources regarding this and other issues relating to teens (gender socialization, self-mutilation, eating disorders, etc).