Connecting With Loved Ones

When we consider our mental health, a large part of this is determined by the quality of our relationships and the support around us. Social distancing can put a strain on our close relationships, or our routines change and we aren’t able to connect with loved ones as much. ⁣
⁣
Being in the presence of people who are interested in our wellbeing, and who we enjoy being around, is an automatic bonus for our general mental health – even if it doesn’t solve everything, it does make dealing with mental illness or stress a bit easier. One way to identify these really nourishing relationships is to consider whether this person is someone who you sense really cares about you, and who you feel good after interacting with. ⁣

If you’re noticing that some of these relationships have dropped off during lockdown, it might be useful to start to reach out again and reconnect. We don’t always know what is going on for those we are close to, and it’s possible that if we haven’t heard from people we care about in a while, they might be struggling somewhat as well. A lot of the time, we will be glad that we reached out to catch up, as it might re-start a valuable connection and add more enjoyment to your day. ⁣

We can sometimes feel awkward about suggesting catch-ups, especially online, but having some activities to do can be a great way of taking the pressure off. Some streaming sites have a ‘watch party’ function where you can watch a movie at the same time as friends, and there is a great variety of free multiplayer online games such as trivia. ⁣
⁣
Even catching up over a video-conferencing site as you cook and eat can be a fun way to connect and have a conversation. ⁣
⁣
We hope this has been useful for you, and that in the coming days you are able to reconnect with the positive and nurturing people in your life.

If you’d like reliable relief from anxiety, you can install Mind Ease for free here.