Buscar
Influence of social support on individual well-being
- Shirley Hernandez
- 31 may 2017
- 4 Min. de lectura
Since recent times some researchers have examined the potential benefits of social relationships for health, according to them, there is a positive relationship between to be part of a social group, or keep in contact frequently with other persons, and the possibility to enjoy of a good health, in fact, they point out the importance of social support as a protective factor to prevent disease or at least to cope with difficult health conditions by developing positive emotions and good mood.1,2
Social support is understood as the ability to get involved in a social network, it is also the capability to be connected with others to share common interests or at least one common goal, most of the times are defined as social groups of high quality when the influence of these social networks is positive and low quality when it is negative.1 Since thirty years many studies have evidenced how the population is benefited by a good social network and how the mortality and morbidity are reduced at the end, having as result more psychological well-being and quality of life at the population.1,2
Some authors have studied the association between social support and the probability to recover faster after a health condition or even a surgical procedure, they have evidenced that there is a positive association between people who is visited or even belong to a particular social support group during the recovery process due they are doing it faster than people who are not visited, the explanation could be the sense of feeling appreciated and valued which are intrinsically related with to be loved and estimated.1,3 Social support produces positive changes inside human body reducing chemical process related to inflammation and secretion of cortisol which has been described as a stress hormone increasing oxytocin levels which are related to the facility to get involved in groups and be sociable.4
Another positive characteristic of social support is its contribution in the emotional strengthening to cope with chronic health conditions, above all, those persons who belong to social groups who have been experienced in diseases or disabilities in the same proportion that them, in this particular, they can share challenges and experiences which they have been proved and successfully have overcome, which could be invaluable to get tools and evidence-based strategies to get through severe and chronic health conditions.1,2-4
In the same proportion it is important to describe the priceless contribution of social support in to make it better the journey of life to the elderly people, everybody knows the different challenges that this vulnerable sector of population has to face given that sometimes neither does family have the time to spend with them, and the feeling of loneliness and sadness are present at all moment.4
Likewise, it has described the incalculable value of social support applied to U.S war veterans who have to face most of them post-traumatic stress disorders (PTSD) and to be part of the society after intensive process of emotional restoration and rebuilding personal what represents a real challenge not only for them but, for their families at the end.1,2
The social support has the particularity of helping people to feel them loved and appreciated, some researchers have pointed out that when an individual belongs to a social circle feels that what he/she is thinking, feeling, or even doing is valued, this sensation is extremely important to increase personal security, self-esteem and self-efficacy because when somebody feels that can do something, and really believe that can do it, then will be good just because they believed that could do it.1
An important study has described that either men and women who have not enough ties to others are two or three times more likely to be affected by ischemic heart disease, cerebral vascular disease, and cancer within a ten-year period in relation with others who have enough access to social networks. Researchers have also reported that consequences of a poor social support are as severe as the effects of risk behaviors such as cigarette smoking, alcohol consumption, and sedentary lifestyle, that’s why, is strongly recommendable to be part of a healthy social group that can encourage, strengthen, motivate, benefit, and help to heal in whatever condition, not only as therapeutic method, but, as lifestyle, because the human beings always need to be valued, appreciated, but above all, to be respected for who we are at the end.1,2-4
All in all, there is a strong relationship between a robust social support network and a good health; in fact, it has been considerate as a protective factor for health adding an important value to the healthy lifestyles, emotional support, and psychological well-being that at the end signify better health outcomes and quality of life.
References
Ram S. Social support, emotional well-being, and emotion regulation: A mediation model. 2013. University of Michigan. https://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/handle/2027.42/102761/salomi.pdf;sequence=1. Published 2013. Accessed May 31, 2017
Ozbay F, Johnson DC, Dimoulas E, et al. Social Support and Resilience to Stress: From Neurobiology to Clinical Practice. Psychiatry (Edgmont). 2007;4(5):35-40. https://www.cdc.gov/hrqol/concept.htm. Published May 31, 2016. Accessed May 31, 2017.
Reblin M, Uchino BN. Social and Emotional Support and its Implication for Health. Current opinion in psychiatry. 2012; 21(2):201-205. doi:10.1097/YCO.0b013e3282f3ad89
Mishra S, Pandey D, Khan KA. Predicting effect of social support on psychological wellbeing in elderly. . https://www.researchgate.net/publication/279942184_Predicting_effect_of_social_support_on_psychological_wellbeing_in_elderly. Published 2015. Accessed May 31, 2017.
