The power to ‘be WITH.’
Psychology has often been seen by many as a ‘soft’ science. Challenged by some as existing only through will and excuses – it is said that people do what they want and act out, then try to ‘cover up’ by calling it symptoms of psychology. Yet years of social research and brain-based neuroscience have come to show that the Psychology is a science.
Concerning others, it helps us understand how we are, why, and who we are. It’s not always comparing ourselves but seeing ourselves within these interactions with others and viewing ourselves as different. Sometimes in these social settings, we can feel misunderstood and unimportant.
We can feel conflict towards others and within ourselves. Yet, psychology shows us that in these connections, we find the answers to belonging and acceptance of ourselves and others.
Social researcher Martino and his colleagues found in a study done in 2020 that: “Social connection is a pillar of lifestyle medicine. Humans are wired to connect, and this connection affects our health. From psychological theories to recent research, there is significant evidence that social support and feeling connected can help people maintain a healthy body mass index, control blood sugars, improve cancer survival, decrease cardiovascular mortality, decrease depressive symptoms, mitigate posttraumatic stress disorder symptoms, and improve overall mental health”.
More than trying to use psychology to understand our behaviours, actions, and responses, we learn about the power of human connection! So powerful that it influences our physical health.
Therefore, the remedy is often just accepting and celebrating our differences. As we are WITH each other in our differences, we find health, wellness, and the power to simply be.
– Dr. Serahni Symington