NEXT: Nature, Physical Activity, and Mental Health
The lack of social connection, or loneliness, is as, if not more detrimental to health than obesity. There is currently a loneliness epidemic in our country, meaning that many Americans do not have the relationships they need to feel connected, supported, happy and hopeful. This affects the strength of our bodies, our immune systems, our physical and mental resilience, and much more.
Strong social connection increases our resilience, both physically and mentally. Our immune systems become stronger and better at fighting disease, it increases your total life expectancy, and decreases rates of depression and anxiety. Social connection also increases self esteem, general outlook, the ability to trust, empathize and cooperate with others, and more.
◇ Over 25% of Americans currently say that they have no close relationships which they can confide in, whereas in 1985 the number was 3.
◇ loneliness is one of the root causes of many mental and emotional conditions and is a leading reason for why people seek counseling, therapy and psychiatric help.
In addition to therapy and counseling situations, the best way to address loneliness is to build relationships by engaging in activities in your community. This can be through sports and fitness, religion, community service, continuing education, work, and much more.
These are times when we feel touched by others, and can take the form of brief moments or encounters, or close friendships, or any manner of connection. Moments of meaningful connection are when we feel belonging, and emotional safety. They can be as small as a neighbor waving hello in the morning, to making dinner with loved ones. Moments of meaningful connection can occur as often with strangers as with loved ones.
Giving and Receiving Help: This kind of connection is essential to our mental, emotional, and community health. This can mean anything from helping a friend with a job application or helping an elderly person cross the street, to receiving guidance from a teacher, or support from family and friends when struggling with health issues. Giving and receiving help is about feeling and contributing to a caring and supportive community.
This is extremely important to forming social connections and bonds. This can mean sharing a laugh, dancing or singing together, or any other activity that helps all those involved share in a sense of joy and warmth.
When this happens people's minds and bodies synchronize with one another – you may notice that when you have an engaging conversation with a friend that you take on similar posture and may even mirror one another’s body movements unconsciously. This is a very clear, non-verbal indication of connectedness.
Connection itself can be one of the strongest medicines for emotional distress, depression, and anxiety: feeling connected can make you feel safer, warmer, and more hopeful. For the majority of human history, we have lived in tribes, and the kind of constant support and camaraderie this entails is natural and often what we need.
Think about how you can build situations in which you are regularly spending time with others into your daily or weekly life, such as through sports teams, continuing education, regular service involvements, joining a band, starting a book club, and more.
Art can be a tool for mental health. Art is a word that is used to describe many things, but generally means making things.
◇ When we make things we engage in activities which are engaging to our mind and body: this can be a source of grounding, and a way to express, draw out, and process emotion.
◇ When we have completed making something, this can also be a way to look at what we have felt and experienced and examine it.
Art can also be a source of community, conversation, and connection, and these are essential to our mental health.
◇ Making things can also be a way to diffuse stress by engaging our mind and body, pulling us away from what is causing us concern, and allowing us to release energy and tension through a constructive activity.