Seek and turn to people who will nurture or inspire you. Healthy and supportive relationships can reduce stress and improve your overall health and sense of well-being. Strong social and emotional support is a powerful stress buster, thus improving health and prolonging life. It’s not about the number of friends you have in your circle, but the deep relationships with people that give you the sensation that you are loved and cared for.
These relationships make you feel valued or that you belong to a network with mutual support and communication. Your social network can include a significant other, child, friend, relative, pets, or even co- members of a social or community activity. Involvement in religion, supporting a cause or sports team, even with strangers who have a similar allegiance, can also provide emotional support. Emotional support and having someone or a group to turn to, allows you the ability get things off your chest. Speaking about stress can reduce the usual rise in blood pressure and lessen the amount of stress related hormones secreted into your body. Support groups can allow you to learn from others how they have been able to deal with or conquer the same problem you have.
Some examples of emotional support are:
- A friendly cheerful card, email or message
- A long talk with a friend
- Invitation to a meal
- Well intentioned advice. Some people are reluctant to reach out for help as they think it is a sign of weakness in themselves. The good news is this attitude has been changing.
Give emotional support when you can which will make it even easier to accept it when you find yourself in need of support.
"Remember, we all stumble, every one of us. That’s why it’s a comfort to go hand in hand." Emily Kimbrough