Is My Social Support a Good One? by Robyn Tamanaha, LMFT
Benefits of a Positive Social Support System
Social support can include friends, specific family members, loved ones, partner(s), teammates, etc. For individuals living with a diagnosis, such as depression or bipolar disorder, the positive social support of friends, family, loved ones, or partner(s) is an important component in overall well-being because these social supports can instill hope, provide acceptance, and can be the emergency contact person during times of crisis. Individuals living with a diagnosis may wonder whether or not their social supports are good, positive, or are people they can rely on. When reflecting on your current social supports, ask yourself the questions below.
Things to consider:
Do I feel valued by them?
Do they motivate me?
Do I feel understood by them?
Do they help decrease stress? (Instead of adding to it).
Do they live a healthy lifestyle?
Do they believe in me?
Do I trust them?
The answer does not have to be yes to all of the questions above. You may find that some of the questions are more important to you than others, which is fine. You may realize that different individuals in your life are a yes to different questions, which is good because this will allow you to identify who to go to for different things. You may even notice that an individual you did not consider a positive social support has, in fact, demonstrated to be one. Ultimately, these questions are a way to pause, reflect, and do an inventory of who is in your life and where they fall on the spectrum of support.
You don’t have to do this alone. If you are interested in receiving therapy with me, let’s schedule a free 15-minute phone consult.
My office is located in Irvine, which is near Newport Beach, Orange, Fountain Valley, Costa Mesa, Anaheim, Huntington Beach, Mission Viejo, Laguna Niguel, Aliso Viejo, Laguna Hills, Tustin, Seal Beach, and beyond. I work with anxiety, depression, bipolar disorder, and Asian American & Pacific Islanders.
Disclaimer: This information is being provided to you for educational and informational purposes only. The topics being discussed are meant as a self-help tool for you own use. It is not psychotherapy or counseling. This information is to be used based on your own judgment. If you need to speak with a professional, you should find one local to you and contact them directly.
**IF THIS IS AN EMERGENCY, PLEASE CALL YOUR LOCAL EMERGENCY NUMBER OR GO TO YOUR NEAREST EMERGENCY DEPARTMENT. **