How to Enhance Social Connectedness

Social connectedness is defined as positive help provided by family, friends, groups, and/or communities. Emotional support that is gained from social connectedness includes listening to one’s problems, validating one’s feelings, and showing empathy to someone. Connecting with others and getting emotional support from a trusted family member, friend or social group can help to ward off feelings of isolation and loneliness. Understanding how to establish or expand our social support will be helpful for our emotional well-being.

How do we build social support? One way is to attend to the important existing relationships in any small way to let our loved ones know we were thinking of them. It is important to nurture those existing relationships because it communicates that we would like to stay connected. If trying to reconnect with others, it may take time, and we may need to practice patience as every person is at a different stage of re-entering various social circles. 

Another way to build our support system is to increase our community involvement through volunteering, religious groups, or extracurricular groups such as a running group, hobby group, etc. These groups are a way to meet like-minded people and build a new support system, which can lead to building new friendships and open us up to new experiences. 

When considering who are the people, groups, or communities that provide us with social support, it is important to think about the following:  

1. How does each support help us?
2. How could this social support better help us?
3. What are some barriers that may prevent us from fully utilizing each of our supports?
4. How can we problem-solve these barriers?
5. How can we reciprocate support to others?

Social connectedness can help us through times of difficulty, transitions, and loss. Attending support groups is a way for us to meet others who are dealing with similar problems or life experiences. Sharing our story and providing support to others is a way to increase self-efficacy, self-esteem, and self-worth. The positive feeling created from being heard and needed helps to aid in our satisfaction with life. Professional supports such as doctors, therapists, and social workers can help solve issues that may be too complicated for support systems to assist. It is important to note that seeking professional help to work on issues is a sign of strength and a show of courage. Social support and connectedness provide another facet for living a healthy and balanced life. Striving to expand, strengthen or deepen social support can only aid in strengthening our mental health.

Written by Lynn Cujak