Healthy Friendships
Safety & Awareness | July 5, 2023
By Sadie Olson Ingenthron, Events & Communications Specialist, Christine Ann Domestic Abuse Services, Inc.
Having good friends is important!
You deserve to have friendships where you feel happy and safe. This is what allows you to be your true self and have fun, and it can have a huge impact on your life. It’s important to develop good friendships at a young age because it teaches you how to interact with others, how to agree and disagree respectfully, and how to share kind words with others.
HEALTHY FRIENDSHIPS
So, what makes a good and healthy friendship?
Here are some good starting points:
- Accepting of one another
- Tell each other the truth
- You both make an effort to be safe
- You say nice words to each other and avoid mean ones
- You are respectful of each other’s thoughts and ideas
- Neither of you spread rumors about each other
- You trust each other
- Neither one of you has to be the leader every time because you are equals
UNHEALTHY FRIENDSHIPS
Sometimes friendships can take some work, but by focusing on these skills you will create healthy friendships where you feel safe and loved. Good friends should accept you for who you are, and they let you be yourself. They should also be honest and kind. It’s important for you to treat your friends this way, too.
Here are some warning signs in an unhealthy friendship:
- Lying to each other
- They make you feel unsafe
- Telling each other who you can and can’t hang out with
- Saying mean words to each other
- Trying to change who you are or who they are
HELP IS HERE
If you have a friend that makes you feel unsafe or says mean words to you, it’s important to tell a safe adult. We are always willing to help at Christine Ann! You can call us any time of the day or night at 920-235-5998.
