Don’t Flatten the Curve on Connection
Social Connection During the Pandemic
It is a well-known fact that humans are social beings. We have a basic need for contact and connection [1]. The pandemic has affected how we experience connection and has limited the physical contact that we all crave. We used to have natural ways of connecting like at school and work while shopping or going to large events. But those natural built-in sources of connection have changed, and we need to seek out a connection in more creative ways. Social isolation has an impact on both our mental and physical health. One study demonstrated that social isolation and loneliness impact our health the same way smoking 15 cigarettes a day would [2].
Is there light at the end of the tunnel?
Yes! There is hope. Research shows that loneliness is reversible through, you guessed it, social connection. Social connections can come from anyone who provides the following[3]:
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Someone who is available to listen
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Someone who can give advice in a crisis
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Someone to confide in
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Someone who understands your problems
What can I do if I do not have enough social connection?
If you do not have many people in your life right now that could be a strong social connection, please reach out to us. It can be hard to ask for help and admit you are lonely. You may feel like others will judge you or will not understand how you feel. You may feel uncomfortable talking about it or feel as though you are a burden. Please know, you are not alone. We are here to support you. At CMHA-ASER we offer the Keep In Touch (KIT) Program which provides a source for social connection over the phone. Empathetic, compassionate volunteers are screened and trained to provide a listening ear. Anyone can sign up as a participant and receive regularly scheduled calls to help reverse the effects that social isolation has had on so many of us this past year. Social connection has huge, important effects on our health.
According to Cohen (2004) and Thoits (1995) Social connection can [4]:
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Reduce stress, which benefits your body’s immune system and heart health
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Provide a sense of meaning, purpose and belonging
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Impact our happiness
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Reduce blood pressure, heart rate and stress hormones
Social connection comes in all forms. You might receive a new perspective offered by a Keep In Touch Volunteer. Often having a friend who is removed from the situation can provide great insight that you would not have been able to think of on your own. You might gain new knowledge or advice from someone with lived experience through a similar situation. You may feel emotionally supported and heard. Sometimes just knowing there is someone who cares about you and what you are going through is enough to lift you back up out of a slump.
This has been a tough year for everyone. You are not alone. Social connection is possible and can have great rewards for you physically and mentally. Please reach out to CMHA and our Keep In Touch program if this article resonated with you.
For more information, please call or email
This article was written by Sydney Ratzlaff, KIT Program Coordinator with CMHA ASER.
[1] Fromm-Reichmann, F. 1959. Loneliness. Psychiatry: Journal for the Study of Interpersonal Processes, 22, 1−15.
[2] Harvard Health Publishing. 2010. “The health benefits of strong relationships.” Harvard’s Women’s Health Watch. Retrieved February 26, 2021 from https://www.health.harvard.edu/ newsletter_article/the-health-benefits-of-strong-relationships
[3] Canadian Mental Health Association. 2020. “Social connection is the cure.” Your Mental Health. Retrieved February 26, 2021 from https://mentalhealthweek.ca/social-connection-is-the-cure/#_ftn4
[4] Canadian Mental Health Association. 2020. “Social connection is the cure.” Your Mental Health. Retrieved February 26, 2021 from https://mentalhealthweek.ca/social-connection-is-the-cure/#_ftn4