Life gotten too busy? No time or energy to connect with friends and family? This society makes it easy to become disconnected and isolated. The demands of work, family, finances, and more can drain our tanks pretty quickly. Social media 
doesn’t help as it lulls us into scrolling through unrealistic expectations put forth through advertising, posts that only show the best, and a plethora of misinformation. In the midst of all this, it becomes easy to forego the time, thought and energy it takes to nurture and grow our relationships. We may even convince ourselves that we just don’t have time right now. The problem is, right now is all we are guaranteed of!
Relationships matter because we can’t be fulfilled, mentally healthy and effective without them. We are social and connected beings meant to live in community with one another. A 2019 study led by Kassandra Alcaraz, PhD, MPH, public health researcher 
with the American Cancer Society, analyzed data from more than 580,000 adults and found that social isolation increases the risk of premature death from every cause for every race (American Journal of Epidemiology , Vol. 188, No. 1, 2019). In other words, relationships matter to every person no matter their race, gender, socioeconomic standing, education, health or age.
According to the Canadian Mental Health Association, social connection can lower anxiety and depression, help us regulate our emotions, lead to higher self-esteem and empathy, and actually improve our immune systems.The uptick in loneliness and disconnection is actually considered a greater health risk now than smoking, high blood pressure and obesity (Science Magazine, Vol. 241, Issue 4865). These implications point to face-to-face, personal interactions in order to thrive. Technology is meant to enhance our ability to connect not replace it.
Reach out to those you love. Make it a priority to call and get together with friends and family. We usually carve out time to eat well, exercise, do self-care, and meet our physical needs. It is just as necessary to carve out time to connect and care for our social wellness. As I have talked with clients who have lost parents, siblings, children and other loved ones, we realize that we actually don’t have all the time in the world to connect when we are less busy. We don’t know how long we have with those we love and who love us. Make your relationships a priority — they do matter. Your mental health will thank you.
