How to Obtain, Sustain and Maintain Healthy Relationships and Your Mental Health

A relationship is any connection between two people, which can be either positive or negative. Different types of relationships range from close and intimate to distant and challenging; and they help make up the social support network that is pivotal for our physical and our mental well-being.

People engage in various types of relationships that have unique characteristics. While most often linked with romantic relationships, the phrase "being in a relationship," can refer to various associations one person has with another. It doesn't always mean there is physical intimacy, emotional attachment, and/or commitment involved.

Interpersonal or social relationships make up a huge and vital part of our lives. You can have such simultaneous relationships with a wide range of people, including family and friends. Relationships and how they are Obtained (O), Sustained (S) and Maintained (M) have often been the topic of discussion at dinner tables, girls' and guys' night out, to name a few places, as well as in magazines, movies, and on social media.