How stronger social connections benefit your mental health

ARTICLE
01 October 2023 dot 3 min read
Wellness

Coffee with friends, lunch with workmates, chatting over the fence with your neighbours – these surprisingly simple things can all deliver major benefits. Here, we explore the crucial role social connection plays in mental health, and what that means for your wellbeing.

These days, people are talking more openly about their mental health, and taking conscious steps to improve it. That’s an incredibly good thing because poor mental health is a major issue in Australia, with over two in five people experiencing a mental health condition at some point in their lives1.
 
One driver of poor mental health is loneliness, something described as one of the most pressing global issues of our time2. Loneliness is a personal experience of self-isolation. It arises from feeling a lack of connection to others, whether that’s through a desire for stronger, more satisfying social relationships, or from having objectively few social relationships and opportunities for contact in the first place. 
 
About 1 in 5 Australians agree with the statement: ‘I often feel very lonely’3.

The link between social connection and wellbeing

What is social connection? It’s the experience of feeling close and a sense of belonging with others. Strong social connections are crucial to our wellbeing. As a growing body of research continues to confirm, physical and mental wellbeing is deeply intertwined with the relationships and social connections we hold with others4.
 
There’s plenty of evidence for this. A study from the annual Household, Income and Labour Dynamics in Australia (HILDA), for example, found that women who saw friends and family at least once a week were 10 per cent less likely to be in psychological distress, compared to those who had less frequent contact5. These results were similar for men – at eight per cent less likely.
 
Even more eye-opening research has found that social isolation has an impact on our physical health that’s comparable to smoking 15 cigarettes a day6.

The benefits of regular social connection

Turns out having a yarn over a cup of coffee may have more health benefits than you think. Studies have found a long list of advantages7 to regular social connection, including:
 
  • Improved ability to recover from stress, anxiety and depression
  • Promotion of healthy eating and physical activity
  • Improved sleep, wellbeing and quality of life
  • Reduced risk of violent behaviours
  • Prevention of death from chronic diseases
A list of wellbeing wins almost every single one of us would desire!

Simple ways to catch up

Although technology makes it easier than ever to catch up through a screen, face-to-face interactions are more satisfying when it comes to social plans8. (Bonus points if you’re catching up in the great outdoors!)
 
So, why not grab a friend and try one of the following?
 
  • Schedule time for a walk at a local park or beach and soak in a hit of nature
  • Join a group activity with people who have similar interests via your local council – anything from hiking to music appreciation
  • Join a fitness group or one of your local sport teams
  • Work up a sweat with a fitness class at your local gym
  • Offer to help those in need or volunteer at a local charity
  • Find out about communal activities in your area and get involved
Not everyone finds socialising easy. If you consider yourself more of an introvert than an extrovert, here are some ways you can connect with friends and family without feeling overwhelmed.

The Danny Frawley Centre – Providing a place to connect

One person who advocated strongly for mental health awareness was St Kilda Football legend Danny ‘Spud’ Frawley.
 
The new Danny Frawley Centre for Health and Wellbeing was built to celebrate Danny’s life and to continue his work in this important area. Recognising the link between mental health, physical health and social connection, the centre will provide a dedicated place for St Kilda players and the wider community to come together.
 
The one-of-a-kind centre offers a range of facilities, from a swimming pool, gym, hydrotherapy pool and recovery centre to community meeting rooms, mental-health facilities, consulting rooms, on-site allied health professionals and more.
 
Facilities like the Danny Frawley Centre – that provide space for people to catch up and connect – might be a bigger part of our future. After all, it’s clear that coming together can help all of us lead healthier, longer, better lives.
Footnotes
1 https://www.aihw.gov.au/mental-health/topic-areas/mental-illness
2 https://endingloneliness.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/ELT_Annual-Report_2022_Final-1.pdf
3 https://www.aihw.gov.au/reports/australias-welfare/social-isolation-and-loneliness
4  https://doi.org/10.1016/j.socscimed.2017.12.020
5 https://melbourneinstitute.unimelb.edu.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0009/3963249/HILDA-Statistical-Report-2021.pdf
6 https://extension.unh.edu/blog/2022/05/prolonged-social-isolation-loneliness-are-equivalent-smoking-15-cigarettes-day
7 https://www.cdc.gov/emotional-wellbeing/social-connectedness/affect-health.htm#:~:text=Research%20shows%20that%20social%20connectedness,%2C%20and%20improved%20well%2Dbeing.&text=Social%20connectedness%20is%20the%20degree,for%2C%20valued%2C%20and%20supported.
8 https://psychminds.com/communication-online-vs-face-to-face-interactions/

Staff Writer
Staff writers come from a range of backgrounds including health, wellbeing, music, tech, culture and the arts. They spend their time researching the latest data and trends in the health market to deliver up-to-date information, helping everyday Australians live healthier lives. This is general information only and is not intended as medical, health, nutritional or other advice. You should obtain professional advice from a medical or health practitioner in relation to your own personal circumstances. The information in this article is general information only and is not intended as medical, health, nutritional or other advice. You should obtain professional advice from a medical or health practitioner in relation to your own personal circumstance
Disclaimer:
This is general information only and is not intended as financial, medical, health, nutritional or other advice. You should obtain professional advice from a financial adviser, or medical or health practitioner in relation to your own personal circumstances.

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