Supporting Mental Health through Social Connection

Edited by Stephen Braren & Rose Perry, Ph.D.

While we spend much of our lives learning about the importance of maintaining good physical health, there is far less public education on the many ways that we can look after our mental health. Mental health is a term used to describe our emotional, psychological, and social wellbeing [1]. Our mental health can impact how we feel and behave under typical circumstances, but also how we make decisions and interact with others during stressful situations or experiences. We might not think that attending to our mental health is necessary if we are not currently coping with a mental health problem, such as anxiety or depression. However, mental health is always important for all of us, especially during stressful times—like the COVID-19 pandemic, or periods of political and social unrest.

This is because our mental health status is not necessarily fixed, but rather can change over time as a function of our environment. For example, studies have noted that stressful experiences (i.e., natural disasters, unemployment, familial death, etc.)—especially when coupled with social isolation—can have detrimental consequences for mental health symptoms like anxiety and depression [2, 3]. This is particularly relevant right now, as many of us face unprecedented levels of both stress and social isolation due to COVID-19. Indeed, there are already signs that COVID-19 is worsening mental health outcomes [4], particularly amongst certain populations, like younger individuals [5] and parents [6], as well as racially and socioeconomically marginalized communities [7,8]. 

Thankfully, we can support ourselves and others through social connection—even from afar—to help safeguard our mental health from the negative impacts of stressful experiences. Indeed, social support has long been described as a successful buffer against stress [9,10]. This means that even if we are exposed to stressful or adverse experiences, maintaining social connectedness with friends, family, and others can protect us from the harmful effects of stress on our mental health. By maintaining connection and contact with our support networks, and noticing when our loved ones could use some social support, we can work together to ensure that we all stay healthy, even during the most trying of times.

Know when to reach out.
It can be challenging to know if a loved one or friend is struggling with their mental health. Mental health problems manifest in diverse ways. Below we’ve listed common warning signs in adults, adolescents, and children to look out for:

Adults and Adolescents: 

• Excessive worrying or fear

• Talking about feelings of loneliness or despair

• Impulsive behaviors 

• Being more irritated than usual

• Not functioning like their usual selves (e.g., change in habits of how they dress, general appearance, eating, or sleeping)

• Trouble concentrating 

• Overuse of substances like alcohol or drugs

• Avoiding friends and social activities

• Posting captions, hashtags, or emojis that are overtly sad or negative (going beyond sarcastic jokes)

• Liking posts or following accounts that promote negative behaviors, even if they aren’t sharing it to their feeds

• Writing posts or comments that show impulsive behavior, irritability, hostility, or indicate insomnia

Children:

• Excessive worry or anxiety, for instance fighting to avoid bed or school

• Hyperactive behavior

• Frequent nightmares

• Frequent disobedience or aggressive behavior

• Frequent temper tantrums

Ways to help.

1. Talk. If a friend or loved one is struggling with mental health problems, they may want to talk about it, but might not feel comfortable bringing it up. Talk to them in a space that is comfortable and ask them how they are feeling. You may also want to ask how their stress level has been and if they have been eating, drinking, or engaging in activities that they enjoy, to get a better understanding of what is going on with them. Check out Seize the Awkward’s conversation starters, for more guidance on how to open the door for conversations about mental health.

2. Listen. Be a good listener. Be responsive, and if you’re comfortable making eye contact, do so with a caring approach. Do not criticize or judge what the individual is sharing with you. Avoid passive judgement or jumping to conclusions.

3. Reflect and Validate. Engage in reflective listening, letting your friend or loved one know that they are being heard and understood (“I hear that you are having a bad day today”). Validate their feelings with statements such as, “I can see that you feel overwhelmed with everything you have going on.”

4. Support. Offer your support and connect them to help if you feel that they need support from a professional. Ask, “How can I help?” or “Would you be willing to talk to someone?” If a friend is in need of immediate support there are hotlines that can be reached via call or text 24/7.

National Suicide Prevention Lifeline
1-800-273-TALK (8255)

Boys Town National Hotline
1-800-448-3000
Offers 24/7 Spanish-speaking counselors and translation services for 100+ languages

Crisis Text Line
Text TALK to 741741 to text with a trained counselor for free

The Trevor Project
TrevorLifeline: 1-866-488-7386
TrevorText: Text TREVOR to 1-202-304-1200
TrevorChat: via thetrevorproject.org

RAINN
National Sexual Assault Hotline
Lifeline: 1-800-656-4673
Chat: via hotline.rainn.org

National Eating Disorders Association
Helpline: 1-800-931-2237
Chat: via myneda.org

My3 App
Define your network and your plan to stay safe. The My3 App lets you stay connected when you are having thoughts of suicide.
Download: Apple Store or Google Play 

In-text References

1. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2018). Learn about mental health. Retrieved January, 12, 2021.

2. Hawkley, L. C., & Cacioppo, J. T. (2010). Loneliness matters: a theoretical and empirical review of consequences and mechanisms. Annals of behavioral medicine : a publication of the Society of Behavioral Medicine, 40(2), 218–227. 

3. Dohrenwend, B. P. (2000). The role of adversity and stress in psychopathology: Some evidence and its implications for theory and research. Journal of health and social behavior, 1-19.

4. Rajkumar, R. P. (2020). COVID-19 and mental health: A review of the existing literature. Asian journal of psychiatry, 102066.

5. Huang, Y., & Zhao, N. (2020). Generalized anxiety disorder, depressive symptoms and sleep quality during COVID-19 outbreak in China: a web-based cross-sectional survey. Psychiatry research, 112954.

6. Patrick, S. W., Henkhaus, L. E., Zickafoose, J. S., Lovell, K., Halvorson, A., Loch, S., ... & Davis, M. M. (2020). Well-being of parents and children during the COVID-19 pandemic: a national survey. Pediatrics, 146(4).

7. Rothman, S., Gunturu, S., & Korenis, P. (2020). The mental health impact of the COVID-19 epidemic on immigrants and racial and ethnic minorities. QJM: An International Journal of Medicine, 113(11), 779-782.

8. Patel, J. A., Nielsen, F. B. H., Badiani, A. A., Assi, S., Unadkat, V. A., Patel, B., ... & Wardle, H. (2020). Poverty, inequality and COVID-19: the forgotten vulnerable. Public health, 183, 110.

9. Cohen, S., & Wills, T. A. (1985). Stress, social support, and the buffering hypothesis. Psychological bulletin, 98(2), 310.

10. Thorsteinsson, E. B., & James, J. E. (1999). A meta-analysis of the effects of experimental manipulations of social support during laboratory stress. Psychology and Health, 14(5), 869-886.

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