Anyone who has kids knows just how powerful your social circle is. Do you remember your parents telling you to stay away from that ‘bad influence’? Or have you made a mental note about some of your own children’s friends and whether you want their behaviors rubbing off on your kids?
Even as adults, our social circle has a major impact on our beliefs, attitudes, and values. Social relationships even affect health, through behavioral, psychosocial, and physiological pathways.
Did you know that people with high-quality social relationships experience better mental health? Or that the risk of death among men and women with the most social ties was half of that compared to those with the fewest social ties? How about the fact that having a strong support system can lower your risk for cognitive decline and dementia?
However, if the relationships in your life are strained, stressful, or low-quality, you might be experiencing poor health as a result. Stress can decrease your immune system leaving you prone to illness. Spending time with others who make poor health choices may influence you to make similarly poor choices.
We encourage you to pay attention to your social connections and foster the ties that recharge you and encourage you to make better choices for yourself and your health!
If you are experiencing stress or strain in one of your relationships, consider whether you are experiencing a heart wall, and whether Emotion Code with Michelle could be a game-changer for you and your health like it was for this patient.
To schedule an appointment, call our office at 952-949-0676.
