"There are always people in our lives who dominate the inherent reciprocal dynamic of a relationship and there are certainly times when it is understandable-when someone is going through something particularly difficult-a breakup, a divorce, a job loss, or the death of someone close, and you are there to support, comfort, and help someone through that difficult time. Yet, there are people who always have something difficult going on-it's always about them and about what you can do for them."
"Relationships, by definition, are about the interconnectedness between people, and the APA definition of relationship is about the continuing and committed association in which the participants have some degree of influence on each other's thoughts, feelings, and actions. There is an intrinsic give and take in relationships in general, and specifically, more pronounced in what are termed "transactional relationships.""
Recurring one-sided relationships prioritize one person’s needs while minimizing reciprocity and can leave the other person feeling used. Short-term imbalances are common during crises such as breakups, divorce, job loss, or bereavement and often justify extra support. Persistent patterns where one person continually takes create transactional relationships that erode emotional resources and skew the natural give-and-take. The APA frames relationships as continuing, committed associations in which participants influence each other's thoughts, feelings, and actions. When reciprocity is consistently limited, evaluation is necessary to weigh personal costs and consider boundaries, limited involvement, therapy, or ending the relationship.
Read at Psychology Today
Unable to calculate read time
Collection
[
|
...
]