Social support seems to have a
direct effect on immune system functioning
. Social support can affect health indirectly by influencing health-related behaviors, such as exercise and eating properly.
Individuals who say they have family and friends they can count on to help them in times of trouble are consistently more likely to be satisfied with their personal health, and research has linked social isolation and loneliness to
higher risks for a variety of physical and mental conditions including high blood
…
Social support
provides physical and psychological advantages for people faced with stressful physical and psychosocial events, and is considered as a factor reducing the psychological distress when faced with stressful events
(5).
Social support means
having friends and other people, including family, to turn to in times of need or crisis to give you a broader focus and positive self-image
. Social support enhances quality of life and provides a buffer against adverse life events.
Possible ways that perceived social support can buffer stress include preventing the individual from negatively reacting to a stressor by redefining it as not stressful, increasing an individual’s ability to proactively and reactively cope with the stressor, providing supportive solutions for stress, or having an …
Social support has been widely studied as a factor that minimizes the effects on stress, and the results are somewhat striking. Not only does social support
help people feel less stressed, but it can also actually improve your health and decrease their mortality risk
.
- Physical or practical assistance (e.g., transportation, assistance with chores)
- Resource and information sharing (i.e., information on community resources)
- Emotional and physiological assistance (i.e., someone who listens to and encourages you)
Wellbeing involves having positive self image and esteem. Resilience, which is directly related to wellbeing, is about
having the ability to cope with and adapt to new situations
.
Other studies have shown the benefit of a network of social support, including the following:
Improving the ability to cope with stressful situations
. Alleviating the effects of emotional distress. Promoting lifelong good mental health.
Coping With Stress
Stress has been shown to have serious health consequences ranging from reduced immunity to increased risk of heart disease. Being surrounded by people who are caring and supportive
helps people to see themselves as better capable of dealing with the stresses that life brings
.
- Don’t be afraid to take social risks. …
- Get more from the support you have. …
- Reach out. …
- Be a joiner. …
- Be patient. …
- Avoid negative relationships. …
- Take care of your relationships.
Social support appears to be associated with resilience to psychopathology via a number of psychological and behavioral mechanisms, including motivation to adopt healthy and reduce risky behaviors; feelings of being understood; appraisal of potentially stressful events as being less threatening; enhanced sense of …
How relationships affect the health and resiliency of individuals?
Positive social relationships are key to resilience
Large-scale population studies have shown that
positive relationships at one period of life predict less depression later
. Social relationships are particularly protective for older adults, who might face declining cognitive abilities or health challenges.
How does family support affect health?
Family dynamics significantly impact health in both positive and negative ways. Having a close-knit and supportive family
provides emotional support, economic well-being, and increases overall health
.
