The Tie Between Our Social Environment and Mental Health
Have you ever thought about how your environment contributes to your mood? This can be the physical environment as well as our social environments. The relationships we maintain, communities we engage with, news we read about, and even workplace culture all influence our emotional wellbeing. If we want to be healthy, and sustain our functioning, we can notice what is contributing to, or detracting from, our wellbeing and make changes to support our personal growth.
Give Yourself the Right Environment to Thrive
Not sure where to start, keep reading and consider what we suggest:
Build Positive Social Connections
Surround yourself with people who make you feel good and let you-be-you. Having supportive relationships protects against depression and anxiety. Positive relationships provide encouragement during stressful times and give you people to lean on. Pause for a moment and consider the people in your life, who do you have supportive relationships with?
Removing Negative Influences
Identify whatever causes you significant stress. A toxic workplace, strained family dynamics, too much time on social media, or social isolation are all issues that can be addressed. Over time, these types of stressors may contribute to the risk of developing mental health disorders.
Actionable Steps You Can Take
Build supportive networks through friends, family, workplaces, or community groups
Limit exposure to toxic environments and/or people when possible
Seek therapy if social stressors begin to feel overwhelming, or you are feeling stuck
By understanding the impact of your social environment, you can take proactive steps toward resolving stressors and building a healthier life for yourself.
Get Started Here
If you would like knowledgable guidance and support as you work towards building your ideal social environment, our team is well placed to assist you! We provide individual psychological therapy for a range of issues, including life transitions and personal growth. Book a session today to get personalized support.
