Relationships shape our emotional well-being, stress response, behaviour and identity. Humans are social creatures whose survival, biology and mental health have always depended on connecting and relating with others.
Healthy relationships can help people manage stress, feel emotionally secure and provide a greater sense of purpose.
Connections should not be measured by the number of people around us but rather by the quality of the relationship; having people who make us feel seen, loved and supported.
Many studies have linked social connectedness with better mental health, whereas social isolation has been linked to a greater risk of depression and poorer mental health.
Relationships help to regulate a mental state by affecting our body’s biological processes. Social connections have been shown to trigger the hormone oxytocin, which is involved in attachment and stress regulation.
Cortisol is a stress hormone that can rise when we feel threatened, unsafe and rejected. Receiving affection has been shown to lower cortisol levels, hence reducing stress in individuals.
Sadly, not all relationships support mental health. Connections marked by disrespect, anxiety, neglect, exclusion or abuse create an unsafe environment, which can lead to chronic emotional stress.
Who we become is unconsciously shaped by how we think others view us and how they treat us. Positive judgment may encourage us and boost our confidence, while internalizing harsh judgment limits our belief in ourselves and, in the long run, negatively affects our mental state.
Healthy relationships create companionship, safety, challenge harmful self-beliefs, and remind us that though mental health is personal, it is never entirely individual.
