Are You Abusive In Your Relationships?

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You can learn to recognize the signs of abuse in relationships. Here's some help.

Think about the following questions:

• When you and a partner talk about going to a movie and you don't agree about which movie to go to, do you get angry, maybe start a major argument, and demand to get your way?


• If you and your partner are at a party where everyone knows your partner and no one knows you, do you become jealous and wind up spending most of the party feeling like you have to protect yourself?


• A student at your school tells you that he is scared of being the goalie in the soccer game at school, and he asks you to keep it a secret. Even though you think it is kind of silly and you don't know the person that well, would you keep the secret or start telling other people, knowing full well that this will hurt the person?


• A friend comes to you with a problem about her relationship with a family member. Do you become annoyed at having to take time to listen to the problem and/or tell your friend that what she is feeling is stupid?
• Your friends tell you their opinions about a new student club. You don't agree with those opinions. Would you insult the people whose opinions do not match your own?


• A lot of your friends are poking fun at a new student who has a physical handicap. Would you join them, or maybe even lead them on in mocking this person?


• When a friend disappoints you by showing up late for an appointment that is very important to you, do you feel outraged and rejected, so angry, even, that you would like to throw something at her?