Aisling O’Gorman
PR & Communications Officer, Mental Health Ireland
Connecting with others is central to our wellbeing. It is a truly beautiful thing, and we see it all around us — walkers/runners, café-goers, colleagues, friends and families.
As women, it is often hard to find time to connect. Not just meeting up with people but having a space where you feel a sense of closeness and belonging — where you feel valued and heard, without judgement and afterwards, you feel nourished and supported.
The natural need to connect with other people
After a few difficult years, it’s clear that we have developed a deeper understanding of the need for connection. There’s an inherent need for us to connect; and over the Covid-19 pandemic, we saw the negative consequences of not being able to fulfil that need. Isolation didn’t come naturally to any of us, and as a result, there now seems to be a newfound appreciation and appetite for social connection.
Reaching out and connecting with others can help to share the benefits of connection.
Five ways connecting with others is good for our mental health
- Lowering rates of anxiety and depression
- Increasing self-esteem
- Feeling supported and valued
- Giving us a better sense of purpose
- Feeling happier and more secure
As life continues, and we move into this new post-Covid-19 world, it’s important for us not to lose the motivation for connection. For some, it has been easier to re-establish the feeling of connection and social routines. For others, it has been more difficult to navigate this new world along with this appetite for connection.
Reach out and connect with others to help
It’s the perception of feeling alone, rather than how many connections someone actually has, that can contribute to poor mental health. It’s a privilege to be in a space to reap the benefits of connecting. Be conscious that not everyone has that privilege. Reaching out and connecting with others can help to share the benefits of connection.
The Mental Health Ireland ‘Hello, How Are You?’ campaign on March 30th aims to tackle the lack of connection that people experience by inspiring us to ask how others are feeling. This allows people to listen and encourage action by providing information about local support and services.
If you feel strongly connected, take this as your sign to reach out and say hello to someone new. If you’re feeling disconnected or alone, this might be your moment to reach out and talk to someone, join that hiking group, book club or class. Be brave; say ‘Hello.’
For more information, on the ‘Hello, How Are You?’ campaign, visit hellohowareyou.info