Love, love, love. Daily, the media shower us with “perfect” romantic stories and photos with cliched captions. The relationships just seem so flawless, making you wish it for yourself. Behind that immense love that they have for each other, or to say obsession, we do not see anything wrong with their connection. And here the question arises, why do we glorify something impeccable only superficially? It all seems to be too romanticised, not to mention distorting a picture of a normal, healthy relationship.
The portrayal of happy couples in the media implements the picture of what an honest relationship has to look like in real life. We see hot, bad boys win the hearts of all the girls, instantly wanting them in our lives too. Nothing else matters, the only important thing is that he is good looking and every mistake automatically is forgiven. In the end, he always gets the girl and lives happily ever after. Unfortunately, we tend to ignore the fact that the interpreted relationship was very toxic, and in that short amount of time, we do not realize how emotionally draining and problematic the rapport is. It gets stuck in our heads that it is just another normal relationship and that it is what true love should look like.
Furthermore, the drama and constant challenges make toxic relationships seem intriguing. The adrenaline rush that kicks in makes you want it, even more, fixating your mind only on that person. No wonder love gets compared to drug addiction.
Chaotic relationships tend to be quite addictive because of the dependency and the feeling of happiness love activates. The obsession, jealousy, abuse, fights, disrespect, all of that becomes irrelevant during the good days. The days you spend with your partner feeling like you have conquered the world. When you receive that physical touch and kind words, the trust and safety awake, leaving you stuck in the loop.
All in all, it is important to separate reality from fiction. What seems to be a perfect relationship on television does not mean that it is the same in real life. True love does not make you suffer, degrade or control you, instead, it should make you feel comfortable, appreciated and respected. In a healthy relationship, your partner encourages you and brings out the best in you. However, before all that, build a nurturing and loving relationship with yourself so you do not need validation from others and understand that you are worthy of love.
