Human connection is extremely beneficial for your mental health as it reduces stress, improves happiness, and strengthens your feelings of self-worth. Connecting with others through relationships or friendships is our natural way of finding a sense of belonging and purpose. Human connection is a universal need—and it gives our life meaning. If you are facing extra stress at work or with family, you aren’t really feeling like yourself, or you have simply been struggling with your mental health, consider trying to connect with others. Do you have friends or family that you haven’t talked to in a while? Do you need to spend some quality time with your significant other? Do you want to speak to a therapist openly about your struggles? Connecting with other people improves physical health and psychological well-being. Learn more about the benefits of human connection below.
Physical Health Benefits of Human Connection:
- Strengthens your immune system
- Helps you live longer
- Reduces risk of suicide
- Reduces inflammation
- Quicker recovery of disease
Mental Health Benefits of Human Connection:
- Lower rate of depression, anxiety
- Increased self-esteem
- Enhanced quality of life
- Increased empathy
- Sense of meaning or purpose
Many individuals cite feelings of loneliness when they are lacking human connection. This happens to all of us, and when you find yourself feeling isolated, try a few of the tips below to seek connection and reap the benefits mentioned above.
- Make a repeatable schedule with friends—like setting up a monthly book club or weekly workout class to ensure that everyone can make it without issues of last minute planning.
- Don’t use social media as your only means of connecting—use it as a way to stay up-to-date in your friends’ lives, but make sure you are calling or seeing them in person to maintain the relationship.
- Build trust in your friendships or relationships. Confide in each other and talk about things that are meaningful to you.
It is never about the amount of friends you have but the quality of the relationships that you have. Having a close, core group of friends is more beneficial than having shallow relationships with many.
- Make a list of the people you truly care about.
- Take time out of your schedule to talk to them, and plan something you enjoy doing with them.
- Realize your shared interests with friends and pursue activities together.
- Try new things with long-time friends.
- Spend an evening re-enacting your first date with your significant other.
- Have a self-care date with your mom, sister, or aunt.
- Take Dad, Grandma, or your niece or nephew to a baseball game.
If you are finding it difficult to connect with others, consider reaching out to us. We can help you with techniques to boost existing connections and develop new ones, including connecting you with a therapist who specializes in attachment therapy. Remember that you are not alone and many of us struggle from time to time.