April 29, 2023
by Elizabeth Pratt
Having low levels of stress and a four year college degree are strongly associated with psychological resilience in women 80 and over.
Researchers from The Ohio State University found that stronger social support and higher levels of self-rated health were also helpful in building resilience.
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January 31, 2023
by Elizabeth Pratt
Receiving support from others could help ease the impact from genetic risk for depression.
Researchers from the University of Michigan found that individuals with a high genetic risk for developing depression most benefit from a nurturing social environment.
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November 30, 2021
by Elizabeth Pratt
Providing social support to others could be good for your health.
A study published in Brain, Behavior and Immunity by researchers at Ohio State University found that those who have positive social relationships in which they are available to provide support to others had lower levels of inflammation.
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August 21, 2020
by Elizabeth Pratt
A study from researchers at the University of Toronto found that those with suboptimal mental health died earlier than their counterparts with excellent mental health.
Those who were in excellent mental health when the study started in the mid-1990s lived almost five months longer than their peers who were in poorer mental health.
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It seems to be common sense that having someone to lean on in a time of need would be a good thing. And, not surprisingly, social psychological and clinical psychological research has confirmed that. But, in delving into the scientifically based questions of how, why, when and what kind of social support is most beneficial to people in times of stress, mental illness or well-being, social scientists have identified the truly important role that our relationships with others play in our psychological and physical health. When it comes to health, who we know is just as important, if not more so, than what we know.
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May is Mental Health Awareness month! Mental Health America has identified several ways that we can improve our mental health outcomes by practicing healthy behaviors. One of those is by establishing a strong social support network. Social support can be emotional support, meaning people you talk to or turn to when you need someone to be there for you, or positive interactions you engage in with other people.
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