MICHELE SUTTON: If you're facing a health crisis, you are probably overwrought with uncertainty and fear. Now, more than ever, you need to rally all of your resources and wage war. What will you include in your arsenal? Medical treatments? Nutrition? Fitness? Complementary medicine? When choosing your health regimen, it is imperative that you consider every avenue that could potentially induce healing. What about the love and support of your social network? It is a little known fact that positive social support can be as regenerative as more mainstream medicine and should be an integral part of everyone's wellness action plan.
Despite the prevalence of support groups and mentoring programs, the concept of social support as a health resource still eludes many people. Although most medical facilities recommend support groups to their patients, many people shy away from using them. A large percentage of individuals also opt not to lean on family and friends during these trying times. Such behavior is often motivated by fear, embarrassment, or an attempt to appear stalwart. Perhaps they just don't understand that this is good evidence-based medicine.
A large body of research links high quality support networks with reduced stress, improved immune function, increased survival times in the chronically ill, and increased longevity. Conversely, the absence of positive relationships has been associated with a higher incidence of cancer, heart disease, and infections. There is much debate about the exact mechanisms by which relationships impact health and healing, but most professionals agree that high quality social support facilitates wellness by encouraging positive health behavior, fostering self-esteem and self-efficacy, and enhancing coping abilities.
In order to reap the most benefits from your social network, embrace resources that provide high quality support and limit time spent with toxic individuals. In 1976, Sidney Cobb, defined healthful social support as "...information leading the subject to believe that he is cared for and loved, is esteemed and valued and belongs to a social network of communication and mutual obligation." Choose reciprocal relationships that nurture your self-worth. These unions will positively impact your health, facilitate healing, and encourage feelings of overall well-being.
Come unity!
Michele Sutton, MA, CHES, is an independent wellness coach and Certified Health Education Specialist. She is the owner of Well Refined, LLC. Her training includes a bachelor's degree in psychology, as well as a master's degree in health behavior and health education.
On the Net:
AMERICAN INSTITUTE OF STRESS: Emotional support and social support
WEBMD: Mental health problems and mind-body wellness-positive thinking
GOOD HOUSEKEEPING: The Science of Good Deeds
