With October being Mental Health awareness month, we wanted to delve into the daily practices that we could all improve upon to become more connected with our loved ones, colleagues and peers. It is natural to be isolated or seclude oneself from seeing others when going through tough times; conversing with others, even making small talk, can seem like a daunting task. Reaching out also tends to go on the back burner during difficult periods, but this is when your relationships and social connections are the most important. 

Now is a chance to reflect and learn ways to nurture our social connections and, therefore, our souls. Socialising is good for both your physical and mental health. It is human nature to interact with the world and function within a community and social structures. Spending too much time alone and isolated from these can cause depression and low mood; being sociable alters how we see ourselves, no longer as lonely beings but as a part of something bigger. It builds trust and security whilst enforcing a sense of belonging. Keeping social has also been proven to improve our cognitive functions, like memory and lowers the risk of dementia by keeping your brain stimulated and healthy. Face-to-face interactions will always be the most beneficial; seeing another person and looking them in the eye can drastically lower stress levels, forms of anxiety and make us more resilient to stress factors in the long run. Social connections release a whole laid of transmitters in our brains, including dopamine and oxytocin, that makes us feel happy and content. 

Most people have their default group, close family members or select friends they feel comfortable with; making time to check in with them regularly is crucial for your mental health. Open communication and periodically sharing your thoughts and feelings will help stop loneliness-related emotions. Familiarising fond friendships and connections is a beautiful part of life; they help us thrive, learn, and grow. Meeting new people is also an essential part of this; fresh faces and experiences are an opportunity to learn and to branch out from your own thoughts and ruminations. Interacting with different people also shapes how we see the world, often shifting perspectives and creating a new way of looking at our problems. Having common interests or sharing hobbies with your friends keeps you committed to catching up and motivated to maintain social plans. Joining your local gym or signing up for an evening class is a great way to form healthy new habits and have some fun too. We all know that fantastic feeling when you leave a social gathering feeling refreshed, with a sense of well-being and newfound energy. This should be a priority and something you try and achieve, even on a small scale, every single day.

Interacting with others is a tool for longevity and long-term happiness; of course, it is not something we can all do all of the time, but making it a priority will help you get to know yourself better and develop internal strengths that you can fall back on when facing things alone. So give that friend a call, make those plans you keep on putting off and give those passing by a smile; it makes all the difference.