5 Reasons Why Having A Support System Is Important For Mental Health
It’s great to be independent and in charge of your life, but we need love and affection from time to time. We humans are social beings, and that’s why we need interaction from time-to-time with our loved ones. This has been even more evident during the pandemic, especially during the lockdown when we were distant from our near and dear ones! So, what is it about having strong emotional support system? Well, it is cathartic in many ways.
Dr Preeti Kocchar, Senior Psychologist, IWill tells HealthShots, “Strong emotional support is invaluable and can help a person deal with a situation in a number of direct or indirect ways. A lot of times people do not want advice. But just listening to someone can take a massive load off their mind. Letting someone know you’ve been through the same gives them the much needed assurance that they are not alone in facing a tragedy.”
A trustworthy friends circle is a boon! Image courtesy: ShutterstockSo, let’s take a look at some of the reasons why a strong support system is important:
1. A sense of belonging
Having a good support system ensures that we can lean on our friends and family in times of need. It also means that we don’t need to just survive; this is a reason to thrive!
“In times of loss or misery grieving together even if just in silence can be just the crutch one needs for their broken self,” explains Kochhar.
2. Relieves stress
When you have a strong support system, your stress reduces automatically, because you have someone to vent out your feelings to!
“You can call your friend or even family member, go with them for a walk, do a yoga class or anything else that you like. When you know there’s a support system to lean on, it helps you decompress and relieve yourself, in case you’ve had a bad day,” shares Preeta Ganguli, trauma-informed therapist and wellness consultant, with HealthShots.
You can rely on friends and family members to lend a shoulder to cry on, and an ear to hear you out. Image courtesy: Shutterstock3. Improves overall health and well-being
Not just mental health, but your physical health will also benefit if you have a strong support system. It provides a sense of reassurance and helps to add to the happiness quotient, which in turn benefits our overall health and well-being.
4. Benefits emotional health
“This is a no-brainer, since having supportive friends and family can really help your emotional health. It was also during the pandemic that we realised that we aren’t alone, something like that instills a sense of security. It is especially a blessing during trying times,” adds Ganguli.
5. Enhances self-esteem
When you have friends and family to turn to, there is a surge of positive emotions; it makes you feel good. After all, who doesn’t want to have people rooting for them on the sidelines?