Mental Health and Relationships: Strategies for Building Positive Connections

Impacts of Relationships on Mental Health

Mental health plays an important role in an individual’s life. Since ancient times man has been a social animal and hence liked to live in groups or in collaborations. Society and relationships play a crucial role in an individual’s health. Relationships can be romantic, familial, professional, or friendly It provides a support system and also provides an objective to live. But what if these relationships become burdensome and toxic? It will affect the mental health of an individual and hence also affect physical health.

An individual has many positive impacts due to relationships. Relationships provide emotional support, they provide a sense of belongingness, boost our self-esteem, and hence leave a positive impact on our life.

No doubt relationships are important in our lives and they boost our confidence along with support but sometimes they become a burden and impact an individual in a negative way. If they become toxic they can impact our mental health which leads to deterioration of physical health. They lead to loneliness and isolation if they are not meaningful and involve high expectations. Disruptions in relationships can cause emotional pain, and grief, and even lead to depression.

In today’s modern world every individual wants to live life according to his/her will they want relationships but at their own ease. The introduction of the internet has made these relationships virtual. There is no interaction and relationships also become a game like other games on the internet. No doubt the consequences are severe but our youth is not understanding it. It is not only harming their mental health but affecting their physical health without any physical activities.

Social media is playing a big role in changing the meaning of relationships. Individuals set high expectations in relationships in search of perfect relationships and these expectations are the product of social media. They do not reflect practical life but virtually set high expectations. Sometimes online platforms lead to social bullying, trolling, and harassment which leads to stress, anxiety, and suicidal thoughts.

Dating apps on the other hand promote casual relationships rather than deep-meaning relationships which leads to emotional stability. It leads to many crimes emerging out of this instability.

The implications of these mental health dilemmas will be felt at the societal level. Indeed, individuals suffering from mental health maladies end up with severely compromised anguish as well as distress; indeed, such problems deflect normally their opportunity to lead normal, successful lives. Maintaining relationships is difficult as are educational or occupational goals and engagement with activities. That is to say, at their sheer number, they disrupt significantly not only the community functioning but also that of the general country. The lost productivity due to these conditions impacts all economies up a part of the major loss of productivity. More absenteeism, less productive capacity during work hours, and long-term disability at work translate, among very expensive costs, to reduced workforce productivity and thus growth in the economy. More absenteeism, less productive capacity during work hours, and long-term disability at work translate, among very expensive costs, to decreased workforce productivity and thus increased growth in the economy resulting from payment by consumers for goods and services. For India, the World Health Organization (WHO) has calculated mental health disability caused to be 2443 disability-adjusted life years (DALYs) per 100000 population; age-adjusted is 21.1 for the population suicide rate per 100000. Economic losses that will amount to an estimated one point three trillion dollars will be due to such mental health conditions from 2012 to 2030.

Many Policies are formulated to provide access to mental health but there is still a lack of awareness among the masses in India. Seeking mental health is still taboo in India where it is connected to being mentally ill as “pagal” and if someone tells you to seek help for your problem it is thought to be a matter of shame as “what people will think about me”. Open communication and creating awareness are the only ways to give people access to mental health so that a healthy society can be created.

In India, only the cases of depression are increasing at a faster rate. The concept of a joint family has been left far behind and there is an elder in the family to guide these young minds. They are lost in their virtual world and are always under peer pressure to show off.

We can maintain healthy relationships by limiting our boundaries and controlling emotions. Healthy relationships can be maintained by open communication, keeping around positive people, understanding the red flags in the relationship, and paying due attention while choosing a relationship. There are some determinants that contribute to mental health, managing one’s own thoughts and emotions along with behavior contributes too much to a healthy mental state.