SOCIAL WELLNESS

“And the Lord God said, “It is not good that man should be alone; I will make him a helper comparable to him” – Genesis 2:18

In addition to Spiritual, Emotional, and Physical Wellness, God wants His people to enjoy SOCIAL WELLNESS: “And the Lord God said, “It is not good that man should be alone; I will make him a helper comparable to him” (Gen.2:18). The human being was not created to live in isolation. God instituted the first family by making a couple out of an individual. He affirmed that it is NOT GOOD “that man should be alone”! Aloneness is never God’s Ideal. He changed Adam’s state of aloneness into a helpful partnership. We were made for company, connection, networks, and relationships. Social Health involves the ability to form satisfying interpersonal relationships with others; and to adapt comfortably to different social situations and act appropriately in a variety of settings.

Social Wellness is the ability to build personal connections with others, deal with conflict, and be a part of a positive social network. It involves sharing, nurturing, and sustaining meaningful relationships with others. These make one to feel authentic and valued, and provide a sense of connectedness and belonging. Social Wellness describes how good we are with people; how we are able to form relationships, interact with our community and those around us, and feel secure when we’re around other people, beginning from the home setting. Social wellness includes: the nurturing of rewarding relationships, healthy interactions, communication skills, adjustment to change, and building support systems of family, friends, peers, and professionals.

We need to develop healthy relationships in order to keep our Social Wellness in top shape. Scriptures say a lot about the Value of Human Interactions: “Two are better than one, because they have a good REWARD for their labor. For if they fall, one will lift up his COMPANION. But woe to him who is alone when he falls, for he has no one to help him up. Again, if two lie down together, they will keep warm; but how can one be warm alone? Though one may be overpowered by another, two can withstand him. And a threefold cord is not quickly broken” (Ecc.4: 9-12). Fostering connection with others is important for optimal wellness.

Relationships can be positive or negative, constructive or destructive, edifying or eroding: “Do not be deceived: “Evil company corrupt good habits” (1Cor.15:33). We must choose our companions, friends, or partners wisely or else we might learn their ways: “He who walks with wise men will be wise, but the companion of fools will be destroyed” (Pro.13:20). Our friends will rub off on us: “Make no friend with an angry man, and with a furious man do not go, lest you learn his ways and set a snare for your soul” (Pro.22: 24-25).

If we don’t sustain our Social Wellness, we may feel stressed, like we don’t belong and that everything we do is awkward. The symptoms of social illness include: being susceptible to social anxiety disorder; worrying about embarrassing or humiliating oneself; concern that we may offend others; avoiding where we might become the centre of attraction; and even physical signs such as razing heartbeats, upset stomach or nausea, and dizziness or light-headedness.

God is relational. Apart from enjoying personal communion with the Holy Spirit, both the fruit of the spirit and the gifts of the Spirit are for collective and mutual benefits (Gal.5:22-23; 1Cor.12: 7-11). An enhanced social health and well-maintained Social Wellness will result in positive emotions, such as: joy, calmness, contentment, excitement, and fervour; reduced stress; sense of belonging and purpose; better recovery from ill-health; improved academic performance and productivity at work; and longer life expectancy.

Just as some people are born with good physical health, others seem naturally fortunate to have a robust family and many friends. But, even with limited social connections, we can nurture skills for rewarding relationships and faithful friendships, and become socially well, by observing the following: Improving communication skills; smiling; sharing kind words; listening to someone’s story; disconnecting from technology; learning to manage conflicts; setting boundaries; practising respect for others; and balancing time between social and personal priorities.