Mental health is the well-being of a person’s emotions which may affect them in many ways. It also relates to how one handles stress and makes choices. It is important to understand that this can affect one at any stage of life whether it’s childhood, adolescence, and adulthood. One’s mental health can be influenced depending on the relationships they are surrounded by, whether it’s friendships, relationships, family, professional relationships, and more. Although being surrounded by toxic relationships can affect one’s mental health, healthy relationships can help improve one’s mental health.

Being surrounded by healthy relationships helps one’s mental health which brings one joy and helps one grow as a person. But what are some factors that help maintain a good relationship? One of the main factors would be communication which means being able to express oneself without the fear of being judged. Mr. Miguel mentions, “Being in a healthy relationship gives you the liberty of feeling comfortable with speaking to that person without the feeling of having to think twice.” Mr. Miguel points out how in order to maintain a good relationship, one must feel comfortable to express oneself. Another important factor is trust. When one has trust in someone, they are most likely to feel safe and know that they have someone they can count on when they need help or simply need someone to vent to, and most importantly, they have their support. Although trust is a big factor, sometimes it’s not easy to trust someone, and often it takes time to build. Respect also plays a role in building good relationships. Respect means valuing and taking into consideration another person’s feelings, and needs. Lastly, relationships require effort and commitment from both individuals. Both people should be committed to fixing conflicts, supporting each other in their ups and downs, and more. Following these main factors can help maintain a healthy relationship which makes one feel better about themselves and grow to improve these things if they don’t follow them yet. 

On the other hand, being surrounded by toxic relationships often affects one’s mental health and their well- being. These types of relationships can often make one feel drained, anxious, and unhappy. In relationships like these, one or both partners may belittle, criticize, or insult the other person either in public or private as well. Ms Gabby states, “If one is in a relationship where a partner is constantly saying things like, “you’re not worth it or you’re unworthy,” many take that in which can really ruin one’s self self-esteem and self-worth.” In making this comment, Ms. Gabby points out how comments like these can really affect one’s understanding of one’s self-value. This leads to negative behavior which reduces trust and respect which is needed for a healthy relationship. Lack of boundaries can lead to invading someone’s personal space, demanding constant attention, or disregarding someone’s needs and feelings which many are not aware of. This often happens because one person may blame the other person for their problems and refuse to take responsibility for their actions.

 In life, an individual can pick up certain mood disorders which mainly affect an individual’s emotional state. Some disorders can be depression, bipolar, or even anxiety. Depression is a common disorder that 3.8% of people experience, according to World Health Organization. It makes people feel sad or even hopeless. This can increase the difficulties with thinking, memory, eating, or sleeping. Being bipolar often has mood swings, energy levels, and more. People with bipolar disorders often tend to be depressed as well. This is mostly developed with the relationships that one is surrounded by, meaning to toxic relationships. In most situations, it is better to distance ourselves from relationships that are harming one, rather than helping one improve.  

In conclusion, mental health is important for one’s well-being. Many people don’t realize that in most situations, one’s mental health is affected by the people that surround an individual. Although toxic relationships affect one’s mental health, healthy relationships bring joy to one’s life. Therefore, one must look for their well-being and get away from the people that are affecting them.