Enhancing Mental Health through Social Engagement

1. Enhancing Mental Health through Social Engagements
Prof. Naseem Ahmad Khan
Chairperson
Department of Social Work
Aligarh Muslim University

2. Objective of the session
At the end of the session, we will be able to understand
• What is social engagement?
• Impact of loneliness and isolation on mental health
• Building social connections
• Role of community engagements
• Improving social engagements
• Approaches to build social connections

3. What is Mental Health?
Mental health is a state of well-being that allows people to cope with
life's stresses, learn, work, and contribute to their community. It's an
essential part of health and well-being, and it's just as important as
physical health.
Emotions:
How you feel,
including positive
and negative
emotions
Thoughts:
What you think
about, including
patterns of
thought
Behaviors:
What you do,
including how
you interact with
others
What does mental health include?
Abilities:
What you can
do, including
realizing your
potential

4. Health Effects of Social Isolation and Loneliness
Key points:
Social isolation is not having
relationships, contact with, or support
from others.
Loneliness is the feeling of being alone,
disconnected, or not close to others.
Social isolation and loneliness put a
person at risk of developing serious
mental and physical health conditions.

5. Health Effects of Social Isolation and Loneliness
It is difficult to put a number on all the lonely people in the world. An
estimate comes from the World Health Organisation, which
approximates that at least 10% of adolescents, and 25% of older
people are lonely. The Global State of Connections report says at least
a quarter of 4.5 billion people felt ‘lonely’ or ‘very lonely’ this year. Both
are an underestimation of the real scale of loneliness, which the WHO
declared a pressing, albeit underappreciated, global health threat.

6. Did you know?
Loneliness and social isolation may be shaped by conditions in the
environments where people are born, live, work, learn, worship, and
play.
These conditions can affect the ability to connect socially. For example, the
availability of resources that exist in a community, such as parks, libraries,
public transportation, and programs, support the development of social
connection.

7. Risk Groups
Loneliness may impact some groups more than others:
Low-income adults.
Young adults.
Older adults.
Adults living alone.
Immigrants

8. Health impacts
Social isolation and loneliness can increase a person's risk for:
Heart disease and stroke.
Type 2 diabetes.
Depression and anxiety.
Suicidality and self-harm.
Dementia.
Earlier death

9. Social Connection

10. What is Social Connection?
Social connection is the size and diversity of one's social network and roles, the functions
these relationships serve, and their positive or negative qualities. Social connectedness
reflects the continuum of meeting social connection needs. It is the degree to which you
have the number, quality, and variety of relationships that you want. It is when you feel like
you belong and have the support and care that you need.
Heart disease.
Depression
Why it's important?
High-quality relationships can help people live longer, healthier lives. Social connection can
help reduce the risk of chronic disease and serious illness, such as:
Stroke
Dementia
Anxiety
Lonliness

11. Positive health benefit
Social connection can lead to longer life, better health, and well-
being. It can improve:
Our ability to manage
stress, anxiety, and
depression.
Healthy eating habits
and physical activity
Quality of sleep

12. How it works?
Social connection can lead to longer life, better health, and well-being.
It can improve:
People are social creatures by nature. Our relationships with family, friends,
coworkers, and community members are important to our survival.
Stable and supportive relationships give us the support we need to cope with
stressful life challenges.
People with healthy relationships are more likely to make healthy choices
that lead to better mental and physical health.

13. Community connections

14. Community connections
Communities that offer supportive connections are just as
important. They can help create trust and resilience among
community members in public places, such as:
Neighborhoods and
Schools
Places of worship and
Workplaces
Parks and recreation
centers

15. Impact of Community connections
Having safe access to public areas for people to connect encourages:
Connections among
people in the
community.
Less social isolation and
loneliness.
Community members to
give back, further
strengthening the bonds

16. Improving Social Connectedness

17. Improving Social Connectedness
Highlights
Small acts to build social connections can make a difference.
Improving social connections can be simple, but meaningful.
Each of us can work to build valuable connections.
There are ways to create new and stronger relationships to improve
health and well-being.

18. Laying the groundwork
Making social connections can
be hard, especially if you are
in poor health, having
problems with money, or
living alone. But a few small
acts of connection can build
supportive, meaningful
relationships.
We can do simple things
like reaching out and
checking on one
another. There is power
in a simple check-in
with a friend to let
them know you're
thinking about them.
Even though no
official guidelines
exist, below are
some suggestions
for what you can
do to improve
social
connections.
If you are working on something exciting that you really care about, you
don't have to be pushed. The vision pulls you.
~ Steve Jobs

19. Making social connections
Make time in your routine to
contact others who care about
you.
Reach out to different people
to create a broad network of
support
Join a group with shared
interests to create a sense of
belonging.
Establish and nurture different types of connections with people

20. Give and take
Reach out for help, even when
it's hard to ask for it.
Provide support to others in
need of help.
Find ways to be responsive
and grateful to others.
Gratitude Works!
The whole point of collaboration is that you give and take from each
other, and that's how you create things that are totally new.

21. Strengthen the quality of social connections
Focus on building high-quality,
strong, meaningful social
connections.
Find ways to be responsive,
supportive, and grateful to
others.
Take steps to address conflict
or negative feelings when they
arise.

22. Address barriers
Take care of your health so
you can readily connect
socially and have fun.
Don't let screen time distract
you from connecting with
people in person.
Find ways to share the things
you're already doing, such as
exercising or cooking with
others.

23. Ideas for making social engagements
Spend more quality time with family and friends.
Spend time with others in nature.
Express gratitude to others.
Volunteer with a group or organization.
Get involved in your community.
Get to know your neighbors.
Join a community garden.

24. Promising Approaches to Promote Social Connection

25. Promising Approaches to Promote Social Connection
Key points
Social connection is critical for individual and community health.
There are many ways to promote and improve social connection through different
settings and programs.
Find promising approaches to promote meaningful connections for individuals in your
community.

26. Promising approaches
The list below offers suggestions for promising approaches that individuals and
organizations can use to:
Reduce social isolation and
loneliness.
Promote more frequent, high-quality
relationships among individuals.
Note: While loneliness and isolation have been studied for many years, more research is
needed to identify the most effective ways to improve social connection for specific
groups, ages, and settings.

27. Psychological therapies
Psychological interventions that target skills to increase quality social connections.
Psychotherapy,
including cognitive-behavioral therapy,
mindfulness-based practices, and group
therapy.

28. Community-based exercise and physical activity
Exercise or leisure activities combined with exercise that are conducted by programs in
communities.
Exercise programs designed
for seniors or specific groups
like:
Tai Chi for Arthritis
Walk with Ease – Group
Program and other formats
(CDC)
Arthritis Foundation Exercise
Program

29. School connectedness
Increasing school connectedness and the feeling of belonging and engagement within
the school community can have positive effects on student outcomes. This includes
school programs and activities that increase social and emotional competencies, foster
effective communication, and teach skills to build positive relationships.
Classroom practices that build strong,
supportive, and safe environments.
School-based youth development
programs, including mentorship or
service-learning programs.
Programs that connect students to these
types of programs in their communities.

30. In conclusion
Social connections are a fundamental determinant of mental and physical health,
providing a sense of belonging, emotional and physical support, and protection against
serious illnesses. By fostering stable and supportive relationships, we can reduce stress,
anxiety, and depression, and enhance overall well-being. Communities play a crucial
role in creating environments that encourage social interaction and resilience, from
public parks and transportation to healthcare and educational institutions. Through
various approaches like psychological therapies, community-based exercises, and
technology-driven programs, we can combat social isolation and promote a healthier,
more connected society. By prioritizing social connections, we not only improve
individual health but also contribute to thriving, resilient communities.

31. Thank you all for listening patiently