This document discusses elements of social wellness and healthy relationships. It identifies key aspects of social health like knowing personal needs and limits, choosing relationships carefully, and effective communication. Warning signs of unhealthy relationships like physical, emotional, or sexual abuse are outlined. The importance of social interaction for development and well-being is explained, especially during adolescence. Maintaining positive relationships that uplift individuals and ending those that are harmful is advised.

1. Social Wellness
IHS St 10

2. Learning Goals
Identify elements of healthy friendships,
relationships, and peer interaction
Understand warning signs of abusive and
unhealthy relationships

3. We are Social Beings
Humans need social cooperation to survive,
therefore healthy social interaction is key to
wellness and health.
Especially during adolescence, development of
friendships, peer group association, and romantic
relationships is essential to psychological and
emotional development.

4. Key Elements of Social
Health
Knowing your personal needs and limits
Initiating and being receptive to interaction
Choosing relationships carefully
Maintaining and strengthening good relationships
Balancing conformity with self expression
Learning to communicate effectively with others

5. Know your limits and
needs
Are you an introvert or an extrovert?
How much time do you need to spend alone?
Do you feel anxious or unhappy when not around
people?
Are you happier in a group?

6. Choosing Relationships
Connect with people who make you better, are
positive, and encouraging.
Avoid people who make you feel bad about
yourself and your choices, or who display signs
of abusive behavior.
Choose consciously to grow and sustain good
relationships and end bad ones.

7. Being Yourself
This is an extension of “know your needs and
limits”
Some behavior, style, etc. may not be accepted
readily by general social circles.
Don’t necessarily let that shut you down:
The world is a big place, and there are always
people like you – just maybe not next door.
“Find your village”

8. Communication
Be honest and kind, whenever possible.
At the same time, express your needs and
expectations clearly. Don’t expect other to read
your mind.
Refrain from name calling and degrading speech.

9. Peer Pressure
Is the social pressure you feel exerted by your
peer group.
Can be positive or negative.
Positive: “All my friends are going to get together
to study this weekend and they said I should
come too.”
Negative: “All my friends are going to a party and
getting drunk tonight and they said I should go
too.”

10. Friendship
Good Friends
Encourage you to do
things that are good for
you
Let you make your own
choices
Are helpful, honest and
not judgmental
Make you feel good
about yourself
Bad Friends
Judge you
Encourage you to
make bad or
dangerous choices
Lie
Make you feel badly
about yourself

11. Romantic Relationships
Good Relationships
Are positive for both
partners
Make you feel good
about yourself
Encourage you to do
better
Move at a pace both
partners are
comfortable with
Bad Relationships
Are draining, and negative
Make you feel insecure,
anxious, or lower your self
esteem
Make you neglect your
other friends, family or
commitments
One partner feels
pressured to act in ways
they are uncomfortable

12. Warning Signs of Abusive
Relationships
Physical Violence, Threats
Verbal Abuse – shouting, threatening, degrading
Emotional Abuse – keeping you from friends or family,
name calling. Extreme jealousy, Fear of your partner
Sexual Abuse – forcing intimacy, or pressuring actions that
are unwanted. This sometimes take place as a process
called “grooming” meaning that the abusive partner slowly
coerces, cons or guilts the other person into a situation that
is negative, abusive, unhealthy or unwanted. The abused
partner will often defend the abuser and say that they are
happy.

13. Things abusive people
say…
“If you loved me you would ….
What you care about is not important because
you are (stupid, immature, selfish, etc.)
If you don’t (______) I will (harm myself, you)
I’m sorry, I love you and I promise I’ll never do
that to you again.