Nov 14, 2020 12:00:00

Research results show that the positive impact of social activities on mental health 'decreases as the number of close people increases'

Having close friends is known to have a

positive effect on well-being and mental health, and participation in social activities such as volunteering has also been found to be associated with good mental health . However, it seems that mental health may be poor even if there is a lot of social activity, and a new survey conducted by a research team such as Ziggi Ivan Santini, a postdoctoral researcher at the University of Southern Denmark , found that 'the number of close people' It has been found that it affects the impact of social activities on mental health.

The moderating role of social network size in the temporal association between formal social participation and mental health: a longitudinal analysis using two consecutive waves of the Survey of Health, Aging and Retirement in Europe (SHARE) | SpringerLink
https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s00127-020-01961-2

Social activity can be good for mental health, but whether you benefit depends on how many friends you have
https://theconversation.com/social-activity-can-be-good-for-mental-health-but-whether-you-benefit-depends-on-how-many-friends-you-have-148255

Social isolation not only impairs mental health, but is associated with many health problems such as

heart disease, stroke , dementia, and premature death . However, it is said that socially isolated people can improve the situation by participating in social activities such as volunteering and circles.

An international research team of researchers from Denmark, Australia and the United Kingdom has conducted a two-year follow-up dataset of more than 38,000 men and women over the age of 50 living in 13 European countries. I analyzed it. In addition to factors such as health and aging, this follow-up survey collected data on quality of life, symptoms of depression, degree of participation in social activities, and the number of close people.

When the research team analyzed factors such as the subject's mental health, the number of intimate people, and participation in social activities such as volunteering based on the data set, 'the number of people close enough to reveal important personal problems In the case of 3 or less people, more involvement in social activities is associated with improved quality of life and reduced symptoms of depression. '

According to the research team, when people with a small number of close friends participate in regular social activities, 5-12% more people report improved quality of life, and 4-8 people experience symptoms of depression. It is estimated that it will decrease by%. In the dataset used in this study, more than 70% of respondents said that 'the number of close people is 3 or less', so regular participation in social activities can be seen in the entire population. There is a big advantage.

Participation in social activities provides many reasons for better mental health and well-being, such as establishing new relationships , providing opportunities for social support, and fostering a sense of belonging to the community, the research team said. It was.

On the other hand, this analysis also reveals that having more social activity does not always bring benefits. The research team points out that in subjects with four or more close friends, participation in social activities may be less effective in improving mental health and may be harmful to some people. I will.

According to the research team, if people have 4 to 5 close friends, participating in social activities at a pace of about once a week will minimize the symptoms of depression. He said he did. Further increases in the pace of social activity reduced the positive effects on mental health and sometimes had negative effects. The disadvantage of participating too much in social activities is particularly noticeable in subjects with 7 or more close friends, and it seems that there was an association that these people engaged in social activities increased the symptoms of depression. ..

The research team points out that 'the time and cost required to build social relationships' may be involved in why the number of close people affects the benefits of social activities. Because people have a finite amount of time, people with many relationships spend less time per person. If one person or one social group has less time to spend, the mutual relationship will be weakened, and the benefits of building a relationship may not be fully obtained.

It is also possible that too many social activities are stressful on the contrary. Engaging with groups whose social relationships are not properly nurtured due to time constraints accelerates emotional and cognitive exhaustion, which can lead to fatigue and guilt. In addition, weakening or straining family relationships, which are the most important social connections, can also have a negative impact on well-being.

The lesson learned from the results of this study is, 'If you want to live a happy and fulfilling life, be proactive and sociable, but to a reasonable extent.' It was.