Social Support: The Best Pillar Of Our Well-being

We have all been through difficult situations where we have needed our loved ones to move on. This social support fulfills many the role of “crutch”, since it helps us to get up and prevents us from falling when we take the next steps.

It seems clear that having a good social network is going to help us in our lives, right? Knowing that we can count on those who are important to us comforts us. In fact, from a young age we seek to relate to others. Without knowing the reasons that lead us to it, we seek that others love us and understand us. Why?

What is social support?

Intuitively we could think that social support is the number of social relationships of an individual. But to think of this as the number of links we have seems like an overly uncertain simplification, right? We are also going to add who we have this type of relationship with, if they are members of our family, co-workers, etc. We already have more information, but still it still gives the feeling that we fall short.

What if we add the consequences for the person to have this social support? The concept takes an interesting twist, right? In fact, social support is all that. It includes the quantity, quality, and characteristics of social relationships, along with how the individual perceives them. It is influenced by:

• The notion of emotional proximity or intimacy.
• The origin of the support : if they are friends, professional caregivers, family, social or religious organizations, etc.
• The type of support.
• The amount of support received.
• The perception of support on the part of the person : the degree to which we perceive the existence of sufficient and adequate relationships that give us support.

How does social support influence the development of psychological distress?

Having a good social support network, and that we perceive that this is the case, will help us to maintain our psychological health. In fact, it has been shown that it is a protective factor in dealing with stress, cushioning its negative effects on our health, both mental and physical. But how does social support influence our psychological well-being?

The advice we receive from people who are important to us can influence our assessment of the situations we face. On the other hand, our self-esteem and sense of control can be increased by the emotional support that our loved ones offer us. In this way, we are going to look stronger to face what is coming our way. 

Therefore, if our social support network helps us regulate our emotional responses and reinforces us when we try to act in the face of conflicts, it is helping us to cope better. In addition, it will be enhancing our personal growth.

However, there are also times when our social network is, in itself, a source of anxiety and stress. This occurs when those who are part of it behave in an excessively protective way towards us, limiting us to activate our coping mechanisms in the face of situations that arise.

Does social support have an effect on the course of chronic diseases?

Chronic diseases are in themselves a stressful element, both for those who suffer from them and for those close to them. For example, the effects of acquired brain damage have been studied for the patient’s relatives. It has also been found that this damage represents a considerable change in the lives of patients, who generally have to change their lifestyle. But not only that, they also have to follow a more or less exhaustive treatment.

This is going to have a notable influence on the social support they have. It has been shown that a reduced level of this type of support can lead to people adopting less healthy lifestyle habits. This change in behaviors related to our health is very important, especially in the evolution that these types of diseases can have.

Furthermore, if patients perceive their social support as positive, they will follow their treatments more effectively. This will improve your health. They will also perceive that their well-being is satisfactory. So important is this social support network that interventions are carried out with the relatives of the patients, as well as with those diagnosed with serious and lasting mental illnesses.

But we are not just talking about the support provided by your loved ones. Social support also includes that provided by health professionals who are in contact with the patient. The doctor-patient relationship turns out to be a key factor in the improvement of objective health.

That is, when the professional is able to adequately transmit information to the patient about their disease and their treatments, they show greater adherence to them. In this way, the symptoms of the disease are more likely to improve and have a positive impact on the patient’s mood.

Final reflection

Social support is, ultimately, a protective factor for our physical and mental health. But not always. It is necessary that the support that our social network gives us reinforces our self-esteem and that we ourselves perceive it as valuable. If, on the contrary, it tries to overprotect us or we consider that it is not appropriate, it will have the opposite effect. The important thing is to know the benefits that social support can bring us and let it act when we need it.

Loneliness is important, however, healthy loneliness is the one we seek. Without social support, on many occasions, we can live another kind of loneliness, more overwhelming, more hostile. Feeling alone can induce us to carry out self-destructive behaviors. When we lack social support, especially in our lowest moments, it is when we directly experience what “social support” means.

That is why it is so important to have a circle of people who show us their support. Knowing that they are there not only to have a coffee, but to give us a hug. Without a doubt, we will enjoy greater tranquility on an existential level. That moment in which we feel social support is a magical moment, in which we understand that we are not alone.