double-edged, at the expense of

[Ju]

"She says, control in relationships is a double-edged
sword!

We all want control in our relationships with men -
or most of us do... but NOT at the expense of
vulnerability!

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What are the meanings of the above phrases highlighted in blue?

ju

[mmasny]

A double-edged sword has two edges so it can hurt both, the attacked and the attacker (it's not a very good metaphore, but it's sneaked into languages somehow).

at the expense of - Idioms - by the Free Dictionary, Thesaurus and Encyclopedia.

I am not a teacher.

[Raymott]

Originally Posted by mmasny

A double-edged sword has two edges so it can hurt both, the attacked and the attacker (it's not a very good metaphore, but it's sneaked into languages somehow).

Never mind. The pen is mightier than the sword!