The ManicaPost
Dr Mazvita Machinga
VALENTINE’S Day, also called Saint Valentine’s Day or the Feast of Saint Valentine, is celebrated annually on February 14th.
I have seen many people commemorating this day, especially young ones.
I have seen some people giving each other cards, letters, flowers and exchanging loving words.
This is great.
I have also seen many churches adopting this and bringing couples together during and around this Valentine’s Day.
Some have also arranged romantic meals.
Common symbols — hearts, red roses, etcetera, are also flying all over during this time.
As a mental health specialist, I have always wondered what this is all about and how can remembering such a day enhance mental health and well-being.
It is true that love promotes emotional and mental well-being. Relationships play an important role in our mental, physical and spiritual health.
The Mental Health Foundation (2016) believes that the quality of a relationship is also important in maintaining happiness.
There are benefits in healthy love relationships.
Building healthy loving relationships has been shown to improve depression, anxiety, and various other mental illnesses.
Mahatma Ghandi once wrote: “Where there is love, there is life.”
Loving and stable relationships can help to improve a person’s ability to manage stress and can help to decrease mental health challenges.
Poorly managed love relationships are toxic and should never continue. Love relationships help social connectedness and a sense of worthiness.
Well-managed love relationships increase happiness, life satisfaction, psychological well-being, and reduce risk of suicide and death.
But of late, it has been a concern for us in the mental health field as we have been seeing graphic violent videos of couples bashing each other.
This is not what it is supposed to be. No!
Couples need to learn to love each other all the time, seek professional help or consult whenever they experience challenges.
Being violent, beating each other and exchanging verbal assaults will not bring happiness. This should never be condoned.
You need to know that there are many reasons why relationships involving marriage and living together are good for people’s mental health and well-being.
For example, healthy, stable love relationships provide a source of companionship, intimacy, and social support. Additionally, they also connect people to their partners’ social networks and reduce loneliness. These benefits influence our health in many ways through reducing stress levels.
They can also impact on health behaviours such as tobacco and alcohol use; as well as improve self-esteem.
This article should help you to understand the value and importance of maintaining healthy loving relationships all the time, not only on Valentine’s Day.
Let every day be a Valentine’s Day in our relationships.
I mean 24 / 7, you need to show love to your partner. Healthy relationships serve as a buffer to help the individual fight off both physical and mental health conditions.
On the other hand, it is well recognised that any relationship stress with a partner has negative effects on health and spirituality.
So, please, couples seek help when you are facing challenges.
To help with building positive personal relationships, here are some tips to improving relationship quality:
Keep communicating with your partner positively and honestly.
Listen non-judgmentally and show understanding even if you do not agree.
Attend to each other’s needs and show concern and compassion.
Share your feelings and be honest.
Address problems and do not stuff issues unnecessarily.
Be present: Disconnect from work and social media to devote attention to your loved ones.
Recognise unhealthy relationships. Harmful relationships involve physical, verbal, or emotional abuse. Seek help if you are stuck in such a relationship.
Finally, spend quality time together and appreciate each other.
Dr Mazvita Machinga is a qualified psychotherapist, and marriage therapist based in Mutare. For professional couple and marriage counseling call 0771 754 519 or 0778 83 84 10.
