Social support from relationships is important for health and well-being. There are four main types of social support: instrumental, emotional, informational, and appraisal. Social support reduces mortality, provides health benefits through touch, and helps alleviate loneliness. Close friendships that allow for confiding can also buffer stress. Maintaining and enriching social connections, such as with friends and pets, is important for health, especially during times of loss or divorce when support networks are weakened.

1. Wellness Chapter 4 Guidelines for a Healthy Lifestyle

2. Social Support and Social Networks p. 74 Social support – the human resources that people provide to each other Social network – the size, density, durability, intensity, and frequency of social contacts The 4 social supports are: 1. Instrumental support: tangible help – a ride to class when your car is being fixed 2. emotional support: affection, understanding, acceptance, and respect 3. informational support: information – which classes to take, where to go to sign-up for a club and etc. 4. Appraisal support: feedback, advice, direction

3. Benefits, Touch and Loneliness pp. 75-76 Benefits of social support (p. 75) Social support protects health and reduces mortality Touch: a crucial aspect of social support (p. 75) One of the most powerful components of social support is touch, whereas it reaps positive health benefits Loneliness and Health (pp. 75-76) Loneliness is related less to the number of people in our lives than to the satisfaction we have with those relationships Loneliness is not necessarily a consequence of being alone People can feel alone even when people surround them People that are alone do Not necessarily feel alone

4. The importance of friendships p. 76 Close friends clearly buffer stress and help overcome the unwanted effects of loneliness Confiding in a friend can provide many health benefits Before you confide in someone: 1. Realize that sharing information about sensitive issues may strain the friendship 2. Recognize that disclosing a past trauma may be difficult or uncomfortable to the listener to hear 3. Explore your motive for sharing potentially hurtful information 4. Recognize that there might be a better way to solve a problem than by discussing it with a friend Before disclosing specific information ask yourself 3 questions: 1. Is it true? 2. Will it be unhurtful? 3. Is it necessary? If the answers reflect sincere motives, confide in your friend

5. Enriching Your Support Network The Importance of Pets pp. 76-78 Enriching your support network (pp. 76-77) If your social connections are weak, invest as much time and energy as you can toward building it Enrich your existing friendships by spending time with friends in person Increase diversity in your social interactions Establish regular times to meet Not all relationships are beneficial!!! The importance of pets (pp. 77-78) Pets are also a positive source of support Pet ownership has been associated with improved cardiovascular functioning, improved emotional stability, and better general health

6. Divorce, Families, Times of Loss pp. 79-82 Divorce and Its Consequences (p. 79) Men and women who are separated or divorced have poorer physiological and physical health than do widowed, happily married, or single adults One reason that divorced compromises health is related to social support Being married provides built-in social networks, economic ties, and instrumental support Families and health (pp. 79-81) A family is a group that shares common goals and values and works together to achieve those goals The relationships between the members can have a profound effect on the health and longevity for each member Social Support in times of loss (pp. 81-82) Social support is vital to help people cope with loss and deal with grief, ranging from minor disappointments to major losses