Other Emotional Health Issues / Question
Published: October 25, 2000
Dear TeenHealthFX,
I know this a huge question-but I need some kind of answer desperately. What is love?
Signed: What Is Love
Dear What Is Love,
TeenHealthFX agrees with you - that is a huge question. It is a question that religions, philosophers, poets, writers, artists and just regular people have been grappling over for years.
There are many different types of love - romantic, platonic, love between parents and children and love for pets. Love means different things to different people, and can involve feelings and things such as trust, honestly, caring, loyalty, fun, devotion, emotional support, and encouragement.
If you are questioning whether a relationship you are in is a loving one, FX would like to stress that love should not hurt. If someone is being physically, emotionally or sexually hurtful or abusive to you (i.e., hitting you, coercing you to have sex, putting you down constantly, trying to control your actions and isolate you, etc.), then that is NOT love and is not a healthy relationship.
Since there are so many ways to define and think about the idea of love, TeenHealthFX recommends going to the library or doing an on-line search about this huge topic.
Signed: TeenHealthFX
At all levels of blood alcohol concentration (BAC), the risk of involvement in a motor vehicle crash is greater for teens than for older drivers.
