As the pandemic pushes on and we’re forced deeper into our homes and stripped of the chances to see friends and families often and to interact with people, the need for connection is greater than ever.
Social connection is not just a tool for interacting with society and helping people progress. Although it’s important to maintain social connections because they help us get through life, the benefits of maintaining a social connection to our mental health are also very important.
Ever since the dawn of man, humans have always craved connection. We are social creatures. We didn’t rise up to the top of the food chain by asserting our strength or our speed. As a species, we became who we were today when we recognized the value of relationships.
According to Margaret Mead, a famous cultural anthropologist, the very first sign of a civilization in ancient culture was a femur that had been broken and healed.
This was something unique to humans because breaking a leg meant certain death for most animals. They wouldn’t be able to run from danger or get to the river to drink or hunt for food.
This healed femur meant that someone took care of them and protected them until they could walk again and survive on their own. Humans are inherently social creatures, and we can trace this back to how we traveled, hunted, and thrived in social groups in the past.
This is a very strong argument that connecting with fellow humans was an important aspect of our lives even in the past. Now that we have grown as a society and connecting with people from the other side of the globe was easier than ever because of the advent of technology and the internet, it’s weird how our need for connection seems to be at an all-time high.
Shutting ourselves in, and succumbing to the horrifying pains of stress, anxiety, and mental health problems that come with it is not the solution. Research shows that social connections not only impact our mental health but our physical health as well.
In a review of 148 studies that covered more than 300 thousand participants, individuals who had stronger social relationships increased their likelihood of survival. This was true no matter the factors like age, sex, initial health status, and cause of death.
At times we feel as if other people can’t be suffering the way we are and that we shouldn’t acknowledge this. However, one of the most effective ways to treat mental problems is to talk to a therapist.
Sometimes a therapist is able to fill our much-needed human connection and act as the hammer that breaks the barrier of our feeling of emptiness and solitude, but a therapist also isn’t necessary for all cases.
Especially taking into account the fact that therapy would be costly and it sometimes even acts as an obstacle for a lot of people who want to be better, simply trying to get out into the world; making small talk with people you meet down the street, saying good morning to the barista in the coffee shop, and talking to your friends once in a while can already suffice our need for connection.
Whenever we feel isolated and abandoned, it’s important that we try our best to connect with others and remind ourselves that we are not alone. You are not alone. You have your friends who appreciate you. You have your family who loves you and is willing to take this journey with you. Don’t be afraid to reach out.
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