Social support and connection are so important to every one of us. Especially now, with a pandemic that demands physical distancing and a politically charged society that has created rifts in many families, we need to gather and use our social supports. But what does that mean exactly? Here are the main types of social support we all need:
(c) Jessie Everts, PhD LMFT 2021
You might have one person who meets all of these types of support for you - awesome! You might need several different people, each of whom gives you one of the essential types of support. If you don’t have support in a certain area, you may want to reach out and find it - i.e. a therapist for guidance/advice, or an online group around a shared interest.
Also important to think about is whether there are people in your life who do not offer any of these kinds of support. It might be a family member or old friend from your past. If you do not receive any of these types of support from someone, they are not actually part of your support system. You might benefit from setting more firm boundaries with those who ask for support from you but do not provide any in return.
In tense times, we need our supportive people around us more than ever. Bring yours to mind, keep in contact, and think about how you can offer support to others around you who need it.