A recent study found talking to friends, even for short periods, can help your mental health. The study shows how important human connection can be and how simple steps can help people preserve their mental health.
The study published in Communication Research in January comes three years after COVID-19 spread around the globe. While daily life for many has gotten closer to a pre-pandemic version of normal, those long years of social distancing, remote work and isolation have taken a dramatic toll on many people’s mental and emotional health.
Small moments of connection are so important for us as part of the human experience. Post-COVID, many of us work from home and still have limited social contact. People have moved and changed. Lives are different. Finding places of connection are so important for mental health. Social connection and community have a large effect mitigating depression and anxiety.