From the Guidelines
Positive relationships and relational experiences are crucial for mental health, and I strongly recommend prioritizing quality connections with others to reduce stress, improve emotional support, and trigger the release of oxytocin and other neurochemicals that promote bonding and wellbeing.
Key Points to Consider
- Positive psychological interventions, such as promoting optimism, gratitude, and positive affect, have been found to improve indicators of psychological well-being, including optimism and depression, in both healthy individuals and those with cardiovascular disease or cardiac risk factors 1.
- Mindfulness-based interventions, including mindfulness-based stress reduction and mindfulness-based cognitive therapy, have been associated with small to medium effects on stress, depressive symptoms, and anxiety in patients with vascular disease, including heart disease 1.
- Relational experiences that involve vulnerability, trust, and reciprocity are particularly beneficial as they activate brain regions associated with reward and reduce activity in threat-detection areas.
- The quality of relationships matters more than quantity - even a few deep, supportive connections can significantly impact health outcomes.
Recommendations for Cultivating Positive Relationships
- Schedule regular meaningful interactions with loved ones, such as 15-30 minutes of undistracted conversation.
- Practice empathy by trying to understand others' perspectives.
- Engage in shared activities that create mutual enjoyment.
- Make time for relationships despite busy schedules, as social connection is a fundamental human need rather than a luxury.
Benefits of Positive Relationships
- Reduce stress and improve emotional support.
- Trigger the release of oxytocin and other neurochemicals that promote bonding and wellbeing.
- Improve indicators of psychological well-being, including optimism and depression.
- Activate brain regions associated with reward and reduce activity in threat-detection areas. By prioritizing positive relationships and relational experiences, individuals can improve their mental health and wellbeing, and reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease and other health problems 1.
From the Research
Effects of Positive Relationships on Mental Health
- Positive relationships have been shown to have a significant impact on mental health, with studies suggesting that they can increase well-being and ameliorate depressive symptoms 2
- Close and caring relationships are linked to health and well-being at all stages of life, and can provide a sense of thriving and optimal well-being 3
- The specific pathways through which close relationships promote optimal well-being are not well understood, but it is proposed that relational support functions, such as coping successfully with life's adversities and actively pursuing life opportunities for growth and development, play a key role 3
Relational Experiences and Mental Health
- Relational experiences, such as positive relationships and social support, can have a positive impact on mental health, with studies suggesting that they can increase happiness and reduce depressive symptoms 2, 4
- The relational scope of health and wellbeing can be understood in terms of congruence, complement, and coincidence, with health and wellbeing being aligned in congruence and complement, but potentially decoupled in coincidence 5
- Social relations, including social integration and social support, are beneficial for health behaviors, such as chronic illness self-management and decreased suicidal tendency, and can also predict mortality and cardiovascular disease 4
Clinical Implications
- Promoting relational health in clinical practice can shift the focus from adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) to positive childhood experiences (PCEs), and can be incorporated into both well-child and subspecialty care 6
- Clinicians can bring a relational health approach to any medical encounter by understanding the importance of positive relationships, experiences, and behaviors in building resilience and buffering the negative impact of adverse experiences 6