Love and Mental Health

Healthy love leads to a healthy mentality.

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Navigating mental health while within a relationship may feel difficult or even impossible, but there are many incredible benefits to mental health from love. An article describing the scientific effects of love on mental health found that healthy love leads to an increase of oxytocin which can decrease depression and anxiety while promoting growth and healing. Healthy relationships and love create immense positive benefits. These healthy relationships are defined as one in which there is trust, healthy communication, patience, empathy, respect, and reciprocity.

It is common that individuals that suffer from mental illness feel like a burden on those they love or on those that love them. However, healthy relationships allow for these individuals to grow by feeling safe and heard. Another article on the mental health benefits of love explains more positive benefits to being in a healthy, loving relationship. These relationships foster happiness, greater self-worth, healthier habits, and great emotional support. Being in a loving relationship gives an individual a place of trust and comfort in which they can share their thoughts and feelings with another person. 

On the other hand, isolating oneself due to mental illness has great negative impacts. Isolation increases a disruption of sleep, elevates blood pressure, and increases the risk of depression, anxiety, and even suicide. It is important to maintain social and loving relationships although it may feel easier to push others away because it causes more damage than good.