"As many as 69 percent of Americans don't feel they are getting enough emotional support. Participation in organized activities, including religious gatherings, is on the decline, and many communities lack accessible public or civic venues where people can routinely meet."
"While electronic forms of communication can facilitate connections, they also make it easier to stay home and to avoid personal encounters. Rising numbers of Americans also live alone, and only half of us say we live within an hour's drive of extended family members."
"Our dissatisfaction with our social support may also be influenced by exposure to social media. In our media-driven world, it is easy to feel that other people are doing more or having more fun than we are, which can negatively affect our mood and mental states."
"Psychologists Carolyn Cutrona and Daniel Russell postulate five key types of interpersonal support: emotional support, social integration, esteem support, tangible aid, and informational support. According to their theory of optimal matching, we are most satisfied when our needs are met with the appropriate type of support."
Sixty-nine percent of Americans feel they lack sufficient emotional support. Declining participation in organized activities and the rise of electronic communication contribute to this issue. Many individuals live alone and are distanced from family, leading to feelings of loneliness. Social media exacerbates dissatisfaction by creating unrealistic comparisons. Different types of social support, including emotional and informational, are necessary for fulfilling social needs. Understanding these needs is crucial for improving connections both individually and collectively.
Read at Psychology Today
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