Social wellness

Social wellness refers to how one relates to and interacts with others. These relationships are ideally healthy and supportive, with honest, reciprocal care and understanding. Social wellness involves striking a healthy balance between one’s various relationships and other important aspects of life, such as career development and creative expression. Social relationships have both short- and long-term effects on one’s health and well-being. Research has shown that loneliness and social isolation are linked to higher risks of heart disease, stroke, and early death. Such effects emerge in childhood and follow individuals throughout life.

Social wellness is important because a healthy support system can have a positive impact on individuals. Feeling supported and understood allows and encourages one to develop positive self-esteem and feel comfortable learning to be assertive. Social wellness also helps individuals create and maintain boundaries and cope with and rebound from setbacks or disappointments. While some studies have found that the quantity of social relationships is greater in some segments of society, such as affluent economic groups and women, the quality of relationships is key.

Background

Researchers have long recognized the mind-body connection to wellness. Sociologists have examined the role social relationships play in healthy behavior, mental health, mortality risk, and physical health. They often compare the effects of social integration versus social isolation.

Much of what sociologists know about social isolation comes from studies of prisoners kept in solitary confinement. These prisoners are kept alone in cells, having no contact with other people for hours or days. Some prisoners see only a few guards for months or even years. One of the earliest prisons in the United States to use solitary confinement extensively was the Eastern State Penitentiary in Philadelphia. Eastern State placed prisoners in isolated cells beginning in 1829. Many of these prisoners developed signs of mental illness. Many died by suicide. More than a half-century later, observers cited many instances of prisoners in isolation losing their mental capabilities. Others became violent.

Prisons continued to use solitary confinement through the twentieth century, as more states built Supermax prisons. The prisoners in these facilities are usually housed alone in their cells for about twenty-two to twenty-four hours a day and may get about one hour a day, alone, in an exercise pen. Despite evidence of the negative impact that social isolation has on prisoners, supporters say solitary confinement keeps prisons safe. These conditions continue in the prison system into the twenty-first century.

Some researchers have conducted animal studies. Dr. Harry F. Harlow of the University of Wisconsin used rhesus monkeys (Macaca mulatta) in his research in the 1950s. For one study, he placed monkeys alone into a chamber that they could not climb out of. The chamber was nicknamed the “pit of despair.” After a few days, the monkeys just sat on the floor, hunched over, as if they had given up all hope of escaping. He described monkeys kept in isolation as becoming very disturbed. They stared into space, rocked themselves, hurt themselves, or circled their enclosures repetitively. Monkeys kept in isolation for a year were left with virtually no social skills.

A 1951 study of sensory deprivation at McGill University provided insight into social isolation as well. It was to last six weeks, but was abruptly halted because of the results. The male students wore goggles, earphones, and gloves to limit outside sensation. Each stayed in a room with only a bed, and could leave it only to use the bathroom. Within a few days, students could not concentrate or think clearly. Several of the men began to hallucinate.

These and similar studies point to the potentially long-term effects of social constraints. Dr. Stuart Grassian, a former Harvard Medical School professor, found that many prisoners in solitary confinement also experienced hallucinations. Many had panic attacks, paranoia, difficulty concentrating, and memory problems, among other effects. Dr. Craig Haney spoke to prisoners at Pelican Bay State Prison in California. Many told him that after long periods alone, they could not interact when they encountered other people. Haney expressed concern about prisoners who might be released from prison after years in solitary confinement. He believed they may be unable to cope with society or even be successfully reunited with family.

Overview

Social integration is necessary for social wellness. Individuals may be deprived of opportunities to engage socially for reasons other than incarceration. For example, individuals might experience lengthy illnesses that prevent them from interacting with others. Older adults may be unable to leave their homes without help, and may be socially isolated. Social wellness is developed through repeated, thoughtful interactions. Individuals can take steps to improve their social health by expanding their social circle or practicing social skills, for example, by joining social groups or volunteering.

Social integration influences health behaviorally, psychosocially, and physiologically. Strong social ties, such as marriage and parenthood, appear to influence individuals’ positive health behavior, such as exercising and seeking medical care. This may be due to others’ influence on habits, such as a spouse encouraging good nutrition or discouraging activities such as smoking. These ties can encourage feelings of protection for others. Social support, including feelings of being loved and cared for, has been found to benefit physical and mental health by reducing stress and giving life meaning. Social support may increase physiological responses, such as lowering blood pressure. Social support may also help individuals take personal control over their actions, possibly by giving them confidence. For example, a confident individual may try yoga to reduce stress, or join a volunteer group. The opposite is also true; individuals without social support may avoid healthy activities because they lack confidence, or feel that seeking medical care or making healthy food choices is not important because nobody depends on them. Poor marriage relationships can adversely affect immune and other systems, and increase stress and depression. Social wellness affects physical health. Adults with few or poor-quality social ties were at significantly higher risk of early death than those with many or good-quality social ties, according to studies. This was true of healthy individuals as well as those with identified medical conditions.

Researchers have found that children who grow up in an emotionally supportive environment experience benefits such as healthy immune system development. This provides long-term benefits. Childhood is also the time when children learn social skills that help them form and maintain relationships. However, individuals can learn skills to improve their relationships at any age. Some important contributors to social wellness include self-care, self-knowledge, limiting self-critical thinking, taking responsibility for one’s actions, nurturing positive relationships, being reliable, and appreciating oneself and others.

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