Social connections are the relationships that you have with other people such as family members, friends, colleagues, neighbours, or community members. . Social connections can affect your physical, mental, emotional, and behavioural health in various ways. They can provide you with support, companionship, love, affection, validation, feedback or assistance that can improve your situation or well-being. They can also help you to cope with stress, share your joy and sorrow, learn and grow, and have fun and meaning in life.

However, many people do not have enough or quality social connections due to various factors such as lack of time, distance, conflict, isolation or discrimination. Lack of social connections can have negative effects on your health and well-being such as increasing your risk of loneliness, depression, anxiety, low self-esteem, poor immune function, and cardiovascular disease.

Benefits of Maintaining Social Connections

Maintaining social connections with others is essential for our health and happiness. It makes us feel that we belong, that we are supported, and that we matter. However, keeping good relationships can be difficult, especially when we face changes, challenges, or isolation. Here are some benefits of maintaining social connections:

1. Having a strong social connection can make you live longer and lower your chance of dying. Compared to those who have weaker social connections, people who possess stronger social connections have a higher chance of staying alive.
2. Your physical health can also get better and you can avoid serious diseases, such as heart disease, stroke, dementia, and depression. Being socially connected can help you eat healthily, exercise regularly, manage your weight, sleep well, and boost your immunity.
3. Your mental health and well-being can also improve and you can deal with stress, anxiety, and depression better. Being socially connected can make you feel happier, more confident, and more satisfied with your life. It can also make you feel less lonely, isolated, and insecure.
4. You can also feel that you belong, that you are supported, and that you matter. Being socially connected can give you emotional, practical, and informational help from your family, friends, coworkers, and community members. You can also feel more loved, thankful, and cared for by others.
5. You can also have a richer and more fulfilling life experience and personal growth. Being socially connected can introduce you to different views, cultures, and ideas, and help you learn new skills, hobbies, and interests. You can also share your passions, goals, and successes with others.

Tips on Maintaining Social Connections

1. Identify your social needs and preferences: Your social needs and preferences are the amount and type of social interactions that you desire and enjoy. They can vary from person to person depending on their personality, lifestyle, goals, values, and circumstances. Identifying your social needs and preferences can help you determine what kind of social connections you want and need, and how to fulfill them. You can use tools such as a social needs assessment, a social network analysis, or a social style inventory to measure your social needs and preferences.
2. Seek out people who share your interests, values, goals, or experiences: Finding people who share your interests, values, goals, or experiences can help you establish and maintain social connections that are meaningful, compatible, and satisfying. You can seek out people who share your interests, values, goals, or experiences by joining clubs, groups, teams, or organizations that offer activities or opportunities that you enjoy or care about. You can also use online platforms or apps that connect you with people who have similar interests, values, goals, or experiences as you.
3. Be proactive and reach out to others: Don’t wait for others to contact you first. Make a list of people you want to stay in touch with and contact them regularly. You can call, text, email, or video chat with them. You can also send them cards, letters, or gifts to show your appreciation and care.
4. Communicate effectively and respectfully with others: Communicating effectively and respectfully with others can help you build and strengthen your social connections. It can also help you prevent or resolve conflicts, misunderstandings, or disagreements that may arise in your relationships. Communicating effectively and respectfully with others involves using skills such as active listening, empathy, assertiveness, feedback, and nonverbal communication. You can use techniques such as open-ended questions, paraphrasing, reflecting feelings, expressing needs, giving praise, or using eye contact to communicate effectively and respectfully with others.
5. Be supportive and helpful to others: Being supportive and helpful to others can help you maintain and enhance your social connections. It can also help you feel good about yourself and improve your self-esteem. Being supportive and helpful to others involves showing interest, concern, care, or appreciation for them and offering them advice, feedback, resources, or assistance when they need it. You can use techniques such as asking how they are doing, listening to their problems, giving them compliments, sending them cards or gifts, or doing favours for them to be supportive and helpful to others.
6. Be open and honest with others: Being open and honest with others can help you deepen and enrich your social connections. It can also help you build trust, respect, and intimacy with them. Being open and honest with others involves sharing your thoughts, feelings, opinions, or experiences with them and being truthful and authentic with them. You can use techniques such as self-disclosure, vulnerability, or transparency to be open and honest with others.
7. Be mindful and grateful for your social connections: Appreciate the people who are in your life and the positive impact they have on you. Celebrate their achievements and milestones with them. Remember the good times you had together and look forward to the future ones. Don’t take your social connections for granted.
8. Focus on the quality of your social connections: It is not only the quantity of your social connections that matters, but also the quality. You can maintain social connections by building strong, meaningful, and respectful relationships with others. You can do this by being responsive, supportive, and grateful to others. You can also try to resolve conflicts or negative feelings when they arise and avoid toxic or abusive relationships that harm your well-being
9. Join a group, club, or class related to your interests or hobbies: Another way to maintain social connections is to find people who share your passions and goals. You can join a group, club, or class that focuses on an activity you enjoy, such as books, art, sports, music, or gardening. You can also explore new hobbies or skills that you want to learn or improve. By participating in these groups or classes, you can meet new people, make friends, and have fun.

Social connection is a powerful force that can enhance our lives in many ways. By nurturing and enjoying our social connections, we can improve our health, happiness, and well-being. Remember that you are not alone and that there are many people who care about you and want to connect with you.