Relationships play an essential role in all of our lives, with several studies indicating that relationships have the biggest impact on our physical and mental health, as well as all other aspects of life. So, how do relationships affect mental health? They can affect it positively and negatively.
How Do Relationships Affect Mental Health
Individuals are most strongly influenced by the six people with whom they have the most contact. This means that your mental health is directly influenced by your six strongest relationships, whether they are with a partner, spouse, parent, child, church member, coworker, or friend. This does not mean the people you like the most, but rather, those with whom you spend the most time.
Negative Relationships
Consider this:
Margaret spends the most time with the following six people:
- Her boyfriend
- Her sister
- Her best friend, Jacob
- A coworker Gabby
- Gabby’s husband
- An old friend from high school who lives next door
Margaret’s sister only calls her to vent about their mother or their father. Most of their time together is spent complaining instead of sharing. Even if Margaret tries to share something positive she learned, her sister will always bring the conversation back around to their family.
Margaret’s boyfriend is kind most of the time but doesn’t “listen” as well as Margaret would like. Sometimes, she gets frustrated that he takes too long to text her back.
So, Margaret “vents” about work things to her best friend Jacob, about boyfriend things to Gabby, and about family things to her old friend who lives next door.
A few months ago, Gabby’s husband cheated on her, so now, whenever Margaret vents about her boyfriend not responding quickly, Gabby offers a supportive ear but then starts telling Margaret that Gabby suspects the boyfriend is cheating, just like Gabby’s husband did. Gabby has started drinking to cope. Now, she only wants to socialize with Margaret when she can get drunk at the same time.
Margaret’s friend from high school has a bad relationship with her extended family. So when Margaret hangs out with her, the high school friend is often negative, usually recounting the latest issue she has had with her family. This leaves Margaret feeling a bit down and depressed after hanging out with the high school friend.
In this example, it is easy to see how Margaret, who might be having a normal day or even a day with a few hiccups, could struggle with her mental health long term because the people with whom she spends the most time are not very positive, and tend to focus on the negative.
With time, this could easily lead Margaret to become a slightly bitter person herself, always focusing on the negative. It might even result in depression or anxiety, especially if those are conditions Gabby, Margaret’s high school friend, or Margaret’s sister develop.
Positive Relationships
The opposite is true, too.
Consider this:
Margaret spends the most time with the following 6 people:
- Her boyfriend
- Her sister
- Her best friend Jacob
- A coworker Gabby
- Gabby’s husband
- An old friend from high school who lives next door
However, in this scenario, Margaret’s boyfriend is always supportive and happily listens to her, offering his neutral advice when needed. Her sister is a positive person who teaches mindfulness and likes to share positive tips on self-care and good mental health. Her best friend Jacob is a psychologist who can offer support, too.
Her coworker and high school friend both like to avoid controversial topics and stick to supporting Margaret through physical activities like hiking, swimming, and rock climbing.
In this scenario, Margaret might have a terrible day but still find comfort and solace in those with whom she spends the most time. Rather than sitting around and complaining all day, she will likely spend a lot of time out in nature, engaging in physical activities, and learning new things. She continues to develop as a person and focus on positive mental health.
Recognizing the Importance of Relationships on Mental Health
When you look at the example of Margaret, it’s important to recognize that if Margaret is struggling with the negative relationships, that does not mean that she has to no longer associate with those people or cut them out of her life.
But it does mean she might have to recognize the influence they might be having on her own mental health and set boundaries, encourage people to participate in positive things like going outside and doing physical activity instead of sitting around and venting.
Relationships can affect your mental health in several ways, influencing you to do things you might not normally do or think things you might not normally think. This can lead to the development of poor mental health as well as the potential risk of things like self-medication with things such as drugs or alcohol to help with these symptoms.
Getting Help for Mental Health Issues
If you or someone close to you is struggling with poor mental health and has developed issues with drugs or alcohol, you can find help at our treatment center. With Sequoia Recovery, our addiction treatment can tackle mental health and addiction at the same time.
Overall, relationships have one of the most profound impacts on mental health, and with the right relationships and activities within those relationships, you can live a happier, healthier life but if you are struggling with addiction and the negative influences of relationships, you can get help with the right type of inpatient or outpatient care.
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Contact our team today to learn more about our programs.