Title: Wellness Module 3: Social Support | Here to Help
Headings: Mental Health
Mental Health
Wellness Module 3: Social Support
Types of social support
Emotional support
Practical help
Sharing points of view
Sharing information
Getting your support needs met
What is so important about social support?
When might I want to change my social support network?
Not enough support
Change in lifestyle
Social support and mental illness
How do I improve my social support network?
1. Don't be afraid to take social risks
2. Get more from the support you have
3. Reach out
4. Be a joiner
5. Be patient
6. Avoid negative relationships
7. Take care of your relationships
Support Survey: How Much Support Do I Have In  My Life?
About the authors
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Content: People with lived experience may be better able to provide empathy, support and understanding. The knowledge that we aren't alone can also help you cope with feeling of blame or shame. Formal support, like an education group or professional, may be helpful when you need highly specialized or technical information. For example, you may need specialized information if you or a loved one is diagnosed with a health or mental health problem. Top
Social support and mental illness
Social support plays an important role in mental health and substance use problems. For example, people living with depression report lower levels of social support than others. Specifically, people living with depression tend to report fewer supportive friends, less contact with their friends, less satisfaction with their friends and relatives, lower marital satisfaction and confide less in their partners. It's likely that lack of social support and feelings of loneliness make people more vulnerable to mental health or substance use problems like depression. However, many people pull back from others when they're experiencing mental health or substance use problems. In this way, mental health or substance use problems can lead to problems with social support and aggravate feelings of loneliness.