Dear College of Education Community,
One of the most important ways to ensure our health and wellbeing is by staying connected to others who support us. “Having real-life, in-person social support has a profound impact on us—it actually helps us live longer. A landmark study in 2010 found that those with strong social relationships had a 50 percent higher chance of living longer than those with weak social ties, and a more recent 2016 study found that over the course of different life stages, social connections are just as important for health as diet and exercise,” according to an article by CampusWell. “Emotional support is when you feel loved, cared for, and valuable, “ and state the authors, “the benefits of a strong social network include the following.”
1. It helps us feel less stressed
There’s a direct link between how supported we feel and how stressed we are. According to the American Institute of Stress, emotional support reduces the damaging physiological effects of stress, including a rise in blood pressure and the secretion of stress hormones. Indeed, 59 percent of adults surveyed in 2019 for the American Psychological Association’s Stress in America Survey said that they could have used more emotional support in the previous year. Similarly, a 2020 review of studies found that social support can help mitigate the negative effects of stress on college students. The good news? Social support can be as simple as receiving a kind word. Research conducted by Dr. Janice McCabe, associate professor of sociology at Dartmouth College and author of Connecting in College: How Friendship Networks Matter for Academic and Social Success, found that student participants reported receiving texts from friends that say things like “Good luck” or “You’ve got it!” before exams or assignments helped them feel more confident and less stressed.
2. It boosts our physical health
Having a strong social network (i.e., not feeling socially isolated) may positively affect how well you sleep, your impulse control, and blood pressure, suggests a 2014 literature review in Social and Personality Psychology Compass. Having a top-notch support network can even help your wounds heal faster and strengthen the immune response, according to a study in the Journal of Behavioral Medicine—which is more important now than ever. The key is that positive social connections help reduce stress, which negatively impacts your immune system, according to Harvard Health.
3. It helps protect us from depression and anxiety
The idea that social support protects against depression and anxiety is well documented in scientific research across numerous studies. This holds true even for those who have been through more challenging life experiences. For example, a 2017 nationwide study of adults who had experienced difficult or traumatic childhood events found that those who reported having consistent social and emotional support were the least likely to report feeling depressed as adults.
To read more, go to: https://www.campuswell.com/social-support-for-self-care/
For a list of other self-care options, please go to our COE self-care website for resources for faculty, staff, students, and the community at https://www.csun.edu/eisner-education/self-care/articles-information-self-care
I look forward to engaging in social support with many in our college at our retreat this week!
Warmly,
Shari