Natural Medicine? The Advantages of Socializing

By Tom Herrin

People are pretty funny.  We tend to have a wide variety of lifestyles.  Some people like to be around crowds all the time while others could spend their whole lives alone and never look back.  Still others really thrive on small groups with limited relationships.  Each has its own purpose.  Sometimes we can be with other people and still be alone, and sometimes we can seem isolated but still interact with others.

What Do Others Mean To Us?

Our association with other people can take on many different forms.  We can be with others in something like a "work only" environment.  In this case, we relate to someone else as a means of providing a living.  That is, we may need to interact in some kind of production or professional communication.  With others, we form friendships where we share values, ideas, memories, etc.  Obviously, we have a need to be needed.  We also have a need to vent to someone.  It is always good to have a friend or friends with whom we can share our joys and pains.  It is also good to have someone who can help to stimulate our thoughts to the extent that we can express ourselves and develop ideas.

What About Those Of Us Who Prefer To Be Hermits?

I am one of those people who, if all other factors were out of the picture, could live alone and just do my own thing.  Part of the time I was in college, I was perfectly content to go to class and spend the day by myself.  I just enjoyed the quiet.  I socialized on the weekend but could go for two or three days being alone.  As we do that for an extended length of time, however, we can begin to suffer emotionally from the lack of human companionship.

Socialization Is Easier Than It Used To Be

According to Nancy Shute in an artcle entitled "Why Loneliness Is Bad For Your Health" from USNews.com, with the age of the internet, we can be connected to people even when we are not in physical or voice contact with them.  While this should not replace all of our social contact, it is a good alternative for those who may not be as able to be mobile.  We can even identify ourselves with various groups as well through these means.  On the flip side, we can be in large social groups and still isolate ourselves.  An increasingly lost means of interaction is through churches.  While this used to be the norm for many Americans, it is decreasing in numbers.  It can still be a good way to meet and interact with others.  Whatever the means, we need social interactions.  If you haven’t found a social group that fits you, get out there and look.  It can help fight depression, decrease blood pressure, help with sleep issues, and help you to overcome bad habits.  It can be like a natural medicine.

To learn more about your health and wellness, see your local chiropractor at The Joint Chiropractic.