Having friends and other social connections can positively impact your mental health and wellbeing. And on the flip side, being lonely and isolated can affect your mental, emotional and physical health in ways you don’t realize. 

The number and strength of your relationships affect your mental health and there are proven links between these and lower rates of anxiety, depression, higher self-esteem, greater empathy, and more trusting relationships. Positive personal relationships also help strengthen your immune system, help you recover from illnesses, and can lengthen your lifespan. Positive social connectedness generates a positive cycle of social, emotional, and physical wellbeing.

Loneliness on the other hand can produce negative consequences for your health as it leads to disrupted sleep patterns, elevated blood pressure, and increased cortisol. It’s usually tied to depression and feeling antisocial.

Your Therapist in Sugar Land explains the difference between fitting in and belonging

Belonging is somewhere you want to be, and where you are wanted. This is where you are able to be your authentic self and you are accepted for it.  Fitting in is being somewhere you want to be, but the people there do not care about you one way or the other. Brene Brown explained that “fitting in is being accepted for being like the people whom you are with.”

In your search to increase joy and happiness in relationships, experiencing sadness is not always a negative thing. All our emotions are valid and have a purpose. 

Sadness can push you to create change in your life, as well as to seek connection with others, which in turn leads to an increased level of joy. All our emotions help us round out our human experience. 

Your Therapist in Sugar Land explains the importance of social support

Social support is usually identified as a key component of healthy relationships and strong mental health. This means having a network of family and friends you can turn to in times of need.

These are the people you can turn to who care about you and play a critical role in your life. Psychologists have talked about the importance of strong social support networks and how they can help people reach their goals or deal with trials in life. Poor social support is linked to loneliness and depression and has been shown to alter brain function and increase the risk of:

• Alcohol dependency

• Cardiovascular disease

• Suicide

• Other mental health disorders

There are several types of social support that play a critical role in mental health. These include:

1. Emotional support. These are the people that are there when you need a shoulder to cry on.

2. Instrumental support. People who take care of your physical needs and offer a helping hand when you need it.

3. Informational support. These people might be those that provide guidance, advice, or counseling during big decisions or big changes in your life.

Every once in a while it’s good to assess your support system. Do you have enough support? Do you feel you would benefit from deepening your current relationships? Could you use new social contacts or outlets?

If you’re struggling to make friends, it can be a great thing to reach out to a therapist. It’s our job to help you manage your relationships in healthy ways that encourage the support you need throughout your life.

Relationships of all kinds make people happy. They are a vital part of well-being and as humans, we are wired to have connections in life.

For more tips on how you can improve your mental health this spring and strengthen your relationships, call us today! We would love to help you navigate and identify how your relationships are helping and contributing to your mental health and wellbeing.