Introduction
Contrary to popular belief, our health is not simply a result of our individual choices. Our environment, combined with the people and resources within it, are major determinants of our overall health and wellbeing. This article explains the meaning of community, and highlights the major impacts connection has on physical, mental, social, and emotional wellness.
What are communities?
Communities are where we live, work, and play. They are made up of groups of individuals who share common interests, values, and characteristics. An essential piece of the community experience is belonging; feeling accepted and socially integrated into a shared space. Community is rooted in culture and connection; both in sharing common knowledge, beliefs, and behavior, and also in celebrating diverse identities, experiences, and perspectives.
Humans are social creatures. We are driven to gravitate towards people with similar attitudes and values to our own. We naturally stay away from those whose attitudes and values oppose ours. Humans get to choose our values, and we also have chances to select the company we keep. That is how we build community.
Examples of Communities
How Community Impacts Health
Belonging is the feeling of being accepted and approved of by a group or by society as a whole. Communities and belonging are collective forces for individual health and wellbeing. Community has significant positive associations with self-rated general health and mental health. Studies show community belonging serves as a protective factor because it mitigates stress, adverse experiences, and promotes positive wellbeing.
The impacts of connection and community are so significant that physicians are prescribing social connection as a means of increasing health and wellbeing. Research shows that social connection not only improves mental health and resilience, but it also ameliorates heart health and immune function. Building bonds with others releases oxytocin, the hormone that promotes growth and healing in the body. Connection is proven to increase the lifespan of those with unhealthy habits. It contributes to reductions in blood pressure, cortisol, and body mass index.
The case for the health benefits of social connection is strong, but the argument for the detriments of social isolation and loneliness is even stronger. The CDC reports that social isolation is equally deadly as smoking, physical inactivity, and obesity. People who are socially isolated experience a mortality risk that is two times higher than those who are integrated with and connected to other people.
Here’s the Bottom Line
Connection is a core element of a satisfying and healthy life. Why? Because humans are psychologically, socially, and physically wired to prioritize community for survival. When we are in community with those who share our common interests, beliefs, and values, we experience mattering: feeling seen, heard, and understood. Mattering brings us emotional joy, but also significantly shapes our physiological health. Connection can expand our lifespan and improve our biological systems. Isolation is deadly; it decreases our physical capacity and ability to live well.
Want Community? Here’s How to Start
If you are new to making connections, start off by identifying your beliefs and values. What makes you happy? What engages you? What matters to you? What are you passionate about?
Take that information and isolate the themes. Maybe it’s animals, sports, travel, food, activism, reading, knitting, etc. Use that information as a touchpoint for fostering connection. Do some research; see what is around you, both physically and virtually, that would give you the opportunity to engage in your values and interests with likeminded people. Overtime, the bonds you create over shared values will make you feel seen, and give you the capacity to see and understand others. That is what creates community and belonging.
Interested in learning more about community and connection? Read more of our blogs and check out our Youth Health Coaching Certification.
