Dear College of Education Community,
Staying connected to others who support us is essential for our mental and physical wellbeing. “Broadly speaking, social support refers to helping behaviors, feelings of comfort, and appreciation shared within a network of individuals. More specifically, social support is defined as the perception that we are loved, cared for, and valued by others, and are part of a network of other individuals we exchange mutual support with” (Wills, 1991). According to Courtney Beard, Ph.D., Associate Professor of Psychology in the Department of Psychiatry at Harvard Medical School, “Strong social support is linked to better physical and mental health, and better recovery from trauma.” Given that many people are dealing with the effects of uncertainty and fear in our world right now, here a few ideas to boost social support:
6 ways to boost social support
1. Get a furry (or furless) friend.
Social support isn’t limited to human interaction. Studies have shown that our pets can offer us the same benefits that human social support does (Allen et al., 2002). Check out your local news for adoption events near you, stop by a shelter, or use online adoption websites to find the newest addition to your family. (As an added benefit, this will give you a great topic of conversation to bring to the remainder of this list).
2. Pursue that hobby you’ve spent thinking about.
Get involved with new clubs or classes. Check out your local community centers, schools, gyms, or recreation department websites to see if there are any events being offered. Honing your skills and developing new passions with a group of people interested in the same thing is a great way to start building your social network of like-minded individuals.
3. Join a volunteer or faith organization.
Beyond making a difference in your community, volunteering is a great way to connect with people who hold similar values. If you don't have one, you could also consider finding a spiritual home. If you are already a member of an organization, think about how you might get more involved.
4. Get outside and enjoy your community.
Whether you live in a big city or small town, a great way to get to know your neighbors is to take a walk through your neighborhood. Related to step 1, you may meet many people in town just by taking a dog for morning walks. Learn your barista’s name, stop and greet your neighbors as they leave for work, or simply take note of upcoming community meetings or tag sales you could attend.
5. Reach out to friends, family, and coworkers.
We’ve all been guilty of not responding to a text, or saying, “I’ll just call them back tomorrow." For many of us recently, the world around us has been so challenging that it’s been tough finding the motivation to do the simplest things, staying connected to our loved ones included! Reconnecting with your existing friends and family is a relatively low-hanging fruit to enhance your social support.
6. Join a support group/look for peer support.
Support groups are a great way to find support for specific stressors — such as the death of a family member, coping with chronic illness, or managing our mental health when faced with world events. Further, these groups provide a unique opportunity to practice lending support to others. Research shows that providing instrumental support to those around you may actually be more beneficial than receiving support (Brown et al., 2003).
To read more about the types and benefits of social support for our well-being, go to:
- Beard, C. (2021). 6 Tips for Increasing Social Support, https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/lab-real-world/202106/6-tips-increasing-social-support
- Wills, T. A. (1991). Social support and interpersonal relationships. In M. S. Clark (Ed.), Review of personality and social psychology, Vol. 12. Prosocial behavior (p. 265–289). Sage Publications, Inc.
- House JS. Work stress and social support. Addison-Wesley; Reading, MA: 1981.
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 am so grateful for the many benefits of our strong social support and community within our college!
Warmly,
Shari