Friends can be
good medicine.
"Social Support" Is the term used to describe
positive Interactions among people. It 1s the evi
dence that someone out there cares about you... and
that you care about someone else.
Social support 1s getting a lot of attention
these days because of the new evidence that shows
Its profound Impact on our mental and physical well
being. Host of us have experienced the positive
Influence friends and family have on resolving our
mental anxieties and depressions. Now the new re
search shows that there 1s also a correlation be
tween the quality of our relationships and our
physical well-being.
The case for social support has been made In
a variety of recent scientific studies that docu
ment the mental and physical health Implications
of social support. In one Investigation of older
people, researchers found that having a confidant
significantly helped people avoid psychiatric
symptoms. In a large study of approximately 7000
California adults between the ages of 30-59, a
strong correlation between social "connectedness"
and length of life was documented. Other In
vestigations have demonstrated a dramatic Inter
play between stressful life changes and health
when undergone In the relative absence of social
support.
Finally, more evidence for social support
comes from comparative health statistics that
consistently show an excessive death rate and
higher rates of numerous diseases among single,
divorced and widowed people as compared to a
married population.
While soda! Isolation appears to be a pre
disposing condition for health deterioration, the
result of Integrating friends Into our lives 1s
enhanced well-being.
I Iclp! I need somebodv
Help' Not put anybody
Help! I need someone Help!
When I was younger, mi much younger than today,
I never needed anybody’s help in any way.
But now these days are gone, I'm not so self-assured,
Now I find I’ve dunged my mind, I've opened up the doors
Help me if you can, I’m feeling down,
and I do appreciate you being 'round
Hein me get my feet back on the ground
Won't ymi please, please lielp me’
And now my life has changed in oh, so many ways.
My independence seems to vanish in the haze
Hut cv'rv now and then I feel so insecure,
I know that I (ust need you like I’ve never done before
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SMILE!
Can people really smile their troubles away?
That's what one study suggests. The authors found
that Just posing the facial muscles Into character
istic expressions of happiness (without even
thinking happy thoughts) can trigger the same
nervous system effects that occur when people are
actually feeilng happy. And conversely, "putting
on" a sad, fearful, or angry face will produce the
heart-rate and skin temperature changes that are
associated with negative emotions.
So, It seems that smiling really 1s_ good for
your health. (Science, Sept. 1983)