Having social connections and feeling part of a community is essential to overall human wellbeing. With
the advent of technology, though, people are connecting more and more through online social media
platforms such as Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram to name a few. However, nothing can ever really
replace face to face human interactions and it is this that makes life truly worthwhile. Yet, when you
have mental health challenges this can leave you feeling very isolated and alone. It is hard to get
motivated to connect with others, but this support and these connections are an essential part of our
journey of healing and recovery and even beyond.
Unfortunately, as you get older it gets harder and harder to make new connections. It is not impossible
though and these are some simple and easy avenues I found as a 40-something woman who has had her
share of mental health battles:
– Volunteering with a non-profit of your interest. These organizations are always looking for help
and are open to any type of assistance. Check into their mission and what kind of help they
need because there are a lot out there.
– Support groups because you are coming together with people dealing with the same issues and
challenges.
– Activities/interest groups like book clubs, hiking, biking, and arts…options are innumerable. One
of the world’s best sights is meetup.com. I have met some amazing people and made friends
through that while still doing activities I feel passionate about. Local Facebook groups are great
too.
– Religious, spiritual, and cultural groups from the same background as yours and that resonate
with your values, interests, and beliefs. There are so many in our South Asian American
community. I personally did not find that many that were a good fit for me so I went outside of
the community.
The key thing is to be open and explore your options, and with the internet, you can find many online
resources and groups to connect with offline. It is important to find groups that resonate with you as an
individual. Which groups are a good fit for connecting and creating community with will be unique to
each person. It may be daunting at first, but once you find “your tribe” the feeling of belonging and
connection is priceless and worth it!
By Laavanya Pasupuleti
Image Credit: https://www.christenseninstitute.org/blog/webofconnections/
