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Annalise Booth

ENG 1201

Dr. Cassel

23 March 2022

Better Communication Helps Improve Relationships

Communication is the foundation for creating and maintaining relationships,

have you ever tried communicating with a pet? How did it go? I always talk to my two

cats; I believe that we have a solid relationship since we communicate so often. They

never talk back to me but always let me know when they are hungry. Talking with my

fiance is not always as easy. He has his own opinions and thoughts about what is

right and what is wrong. Humans have more complex brains and different forms of

communication than animals and other species do. This can make communication

between each other relatively complicated, but learning to communicate can help

build and maintain relationships.

Communication is the key to making all relationships work, between people,

pets, oneself, and more. Through communication, human beings can build trust.

Trust includes growing and maturing in relationships with one another. Studies have

tried to determine the meaning of communication and how it shapes us as people.

Relationships matter and make huge impacts on our lives; communication is what
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helps those relationships thrive. To discover how communication works as a tool in

our relationships, one must focus our thoughts on asking ourselves what

communication is, how it makes an impact on daily life, and how it has evolved

through time.

Communication dates back to approximately 100,000 BCE (Before the

Common Era). During this time, communication was mainly through hand gestures

and grunts. Slowly over time, humans evolved into cave paintings. The method they

used involved making pigments from the juice of fruits and berries, colored minerals,

or animal blood. (Creative). We were able to depict what we felt and show each other

different things through this method. Communication has majorly evolved since then.

There have been several inventions in recent years that have evolved the way

humans communicate with each other. For example, the printing press and the

telephone as well as the cell phone. We have since evolved to the point that even a

tone change in your voice can have a different meaning when communicating.

Statements previously seen as offensive have possibly changed meaning as

communication has evolved.

The spelling of words has also evolved. For example, in Romeo and Juliet,

they used “thee” and “thou." In today’s society, that type of language is not as

commonly used. We now use “the” and “hey” more often. Depending on the form of

communication you chose to use can have a major impact on the relationships you
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form. If someone were to walk up to you and start reciting lines from Romeo and

Juliet; they may think they are just being romantic. On the other hand, you may think

they are crazy lunatics that you need to get away from.

Meanings of words have also changed majorly throughout time. Some words

that are considered offensive today were once commonly used. Communication has

more meaning in present times and can cause complications for confusion when used

incorrectly, especially when forming relationships. It is very important to build a strong

foundation starting out with relationships or the relationship will not last very long.

Some may argue that communication is not a vital role in creating or

maintaining a relationship. They may view communication as too difficult or too

challenging. While it may be hard to initiate communication with someone you are

meeting for the first time, take a look at all the opportunities it could lead to. You could

develop a new friendship or relationship. You could also build upon an existing

relationship. Communication encourages us to talk to others and share experiences

and knowledge. This allows us to learn more about the world around us and gain

knowledge in places we did not have it before. It also enables us to share our feelings

with others and find similarities with one another. Although it may seem difficult at

first, the more you communicate the better you will become at it.

Communication is constantly being influenced in many different ways. Some of

which include drug and alcohol abuse. One study by Randy R. Kafka and Perry
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London involved how parents and friends influence adolescent substance abuse. This

study shows how communication can affect relationships closest to you. According to

both Kafka and London, the results suggested that when adolescents talk more

openly with their parents, it may influence the extent of their substance abuse. These

results show that the stronger the communication is between the two parties, the

stronger the relationship bond is. Communication is necessary, especially in rough

situations that involve substance abuse and more.

They also analyzed how peer pressure from close relationships can impact

substance abuse. When someone is doing something that is not right and tries

coercing you into doing something you are not comfortable with is considered peer

pressure. A lot of times young adults and adolescents are peer pressured to fit in and

make friends by doing things outside of their comfort zone “to be cool”. This is where

communication plays a vital role between parents and young adults.

Catching signs of addiction and abuse early can be as easy as just

communicating openly with each other about what is going on in each other’s lives

and activities. It is important to emphasize how much peer pressure can affect oneself

and how to avoid addiction at an early age. An open line of communication between

two parties enables them to better understand each other and help improve the

connection between them.

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Another article by Heeyeon Son talks about an Oncology nurse who studied

the communication challenges in Korea between children struggling with cancer and

their families. As seen in this article, better communication provides a better outcome

for the teens and their families. The better the communication the more they were

able to understand what was going on and aid what the other was going through. The

article looks at how emotional communication affects parents and their

communication relationships with their children. It also evaluates the family's coping

abilities. There is an overarching similarity between the sources stating “I cannot

share my feelings”. When faced with restricted topics many adolescents found it hard

to communicate their feelings to the people closest to them when supported.

The topic of cancer can be a very difficult and confusing time for not just

adolescents but any age. Not knowing what your future will look like or if you will

survive can be extremely stressful. Also planning treatment and figuring out all your

options can add uncommon stress. Coping with this stress correctly can play a major

role in recovery. Having your support team and family with good communication can

also aid in the healing process.

Although it can be extremely stressful, it is important to communicate those

feelings correctly to maintain the relationships you already had. When times are rough

you may find it hard to keep a positive attitude and continue to focus on healing and

those around you. Communication is key to making sure you get the correct

information needed and maintain relationships with your loved ones.

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This article was mostly directed at healthcare providers although

patient-to-patient communications were addressed through the article as well. For

example, the twenty participants in this study were ten adolescents with cancer aged

thirteen to nineteen years, and their parents at a hospital in Seoul, South Korea.

Individual interviews were conducted with these participants. The interviews revealed

that better communication allows for relationships to be more open and trusting

between the parties. Better communication has proven to be beneficial in forming and

maintaining relationships. Communication is an essential building block in all aspects

of life.

A common idea to help improve communication in relationships is stated in an

article by Debbie Shepard - LeMoine. It is shown in this article that strength-based

communication between healthcare providers and patients helps build relationships

and allows for a better healthcare outcome. Communication could not be more

essential in healthcare.

When providing care to patients they must feel comfortable and trusting of their

providers to allow them to do their job efficiently and effectively. Communication has

helped nursing and healthcare as a whole evolve by sharing experiences and coming

together as a community. Through communication, we are able to improve our

mistakes and not repeat them in future situations.

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Care providers must communicate with their patients to form a trusting bond

and provide care. They vow to honor the Health Insurance Portability and

Accountability Act of 1996 which means they are not allowed to disclose any patient

data and protect your privacy as a patient. If you do not feel comfortable with your

care provider it makes it harder to communicate what might be wrong or bothering

you and also discourage necessary follow-up appointments. Patients and care

providers need to have clear communication with one another in order to build a solid

respectful relationship.

I have found that throughout my own experiences communicating correctly

does not come with many negative impacts. It allows you to become more

comfortable expressing yourself and your opinion. I used to have a really hard time

communicating with people since I was in the mindset that I am always right. That is

not the case, learning to work with others and build a relationship has helped in so

many ways. For example, work relationships are essential to help you excel in life.

After moving jobs, you need to have reliable contacts to bring to your next job to show

your reliability.

In order to form those relationships, I had to step outside of my comfort zone

and communicate with my coworkers. This was extremely nerve-racking talking to

someone for the first time and took a lot of effort to initiate. I was then able to use

these people as references for my new job.

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Also in times of need, it is essential to have those relationships with strong

bases. When someone is struggling they often reach out to others to ask for help and

advice. Communication can strengthen those relationships as well as aid in times of

need. When communicating it is important to remember everyone is human and can

make mistakes as well. Some people may be able to handle some heavy news better

than others. Communicating to form relationships correctly is all about respecting

boundaries and knowing what is appropriate to talk about with different people.

Perhaps the best way to improve current relationships and form new ones is

good, healthy communication. Another form of communication is between you and

yourself. Annett Hill’s documentary focuses on how we analyze and view ourselves. It

is important to note the similarity in communication between yourself and others, both

are equally as important and necessary to build relationships.

The Annett Hill documentary also addresses how lack of communication can

lead to having harsh feelings for oneself. Unfortunately, if you focus too much on

communicating with others and not with yourself it can also lead to relationship issues

within yourself. Having a negative view of yourself can have a negative influence on

everything else from how you see the world and how you react to certain pressures.

For example, if you are too focused on pleasing everyone else and not on figuring out

what makes you happy then you will not have a good relationship within.
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Communication has become a major issue within modern society with the rise

of social media. People are not able to get away from the drama after they leave work

or school like you used to. Online forms of communication have become toxic since

some people think that hiding behind a screen means there will be no negative impact

on them. Online relationships can not be trusted as someone could use a fake name

or even fake pictures of themselves.

This has led to a very widespread modern problem for communication as a

whole. When communicating it is now more important than ever to be honest and

open and not lead false appearances. Nowadays it is extremely hard for people to

form online relationships since you can never trust what you see on the internet. That

is why is it necessary when communicating for the first time to make a good

impression and start building that foundation of a strong reliable relationship.

We have not touched too much upon the topic of communicating with yourself.

You must stay in touch with yourself as well as others around you. If you do not have

a good relationship with yourself it can have a negative impact on what you do and

say through your day-to-day interactions.

Being ok with yourself means communicating about what might be stressful,

sad, or even happy to yourself. This helps you better understand your triggers and

interactions to avoid. It also gives you a good sense of how your actions might affect

those around you and how you could better handle situations. Communicating with
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yourself can also help you understand new feelings that you do not recognize. I find it

extremely beneficial to sit back and do a self-evaluation of myself every once and a

while to make sure I am still in a good place mentally. I also take that time to improve

my communication skills and learn to share my feelings more freely with those who

love me and are close to me.

In conclusion, communication is essential in your daily life to help grow,

maintain, and create relationships. Communication is the building block to interactions

between not just people but animals and yourself. Relationships cannot thrive without

proper communication and trust. As we have seen throughout this essay

communication influences many day-to-day activities. It also helps families grow and

understand each other.

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Works Cited

“A Complete History of Communication .” Creative Displays Now, 3 Mar. 2022,

https://www.creativedisplaysnow.com/articles/history-of-communication-from-c

ave-drawings-to-the-web/#:~:text=The%20most%20well%2Dknown%20form,c

olored%20minerals%2C%20or%20animal%20blood.

Alcorn, Frederick Douglass. The Omnipotent Presence and Power of

Teacher-Student

Transactional Communication Relationships in the Classroom : The so-Called

“Post-Race Era.” Sense Publishers, 2016. EBSCOhost,

https://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=cat01128a&AN=scc.

b1785675&site=eds-live.

Heeyeon Son, et al. “Communication Challenges in Korean Families Coping With

Adolescent

Cancer.” Oncology Nursing Forum, vol. 47, no. 6, Nov. 2020, pp. E190–98.

EBSCOhost, https://doi.org/10.1188/20.ONF.E190-E198.
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Hill, Annette. “Documentary Imaginary : Production and Audience Research of The

Act of

Killing and The Look of Silence.” European Journal of Cultural Studies, vol. 24,

no. 4, Sept. 2021, pp. 801–15. EBSCOhost,

https://doi.org/10.1177/13675494211033291.

Kafka, Randy R., and Perry London. “Communication in Relationships and

Adolescent

Substance Use: The Influence of Parents and Friends.” ProQuest, October

1991,

https://www.proquest.com/openview/727dc8b3b784c34d78f687732419fda6/1?

pq-origsite=gscholar&cbl=41539. Accessed 05 March 2022.

Sheppard-LeMoine, Debbie, et al. “Empowering Public Health Nurses and

Community Home

Visitors through Effective Communication Relationships.” Nursing Reports, vol.

11, no. 3, Sept. 2021, pp. 652–65. EBSCOhost,

https://doi.org/10.3390/nursrep11030062.