HOW A SENSE OF COMMUNITY BELONGING IMPACTS THE BRAIN

HOW A SENSE OF COMMUNITY BELONGING IMPACTS THE BRAIN %3D A sense of belonging in a community sparks our desire to connect and congregate. Since the dawn of time, community has formed the foundation on which healthy relationships are built. Even if our basic security needs are met such as a home and car, not having a sense of belonging in a community can lead to feelings of nervousness, anxiety and even paranoia. Evolutionary science has proven that that our sense of comfort and safety as well as confidence levels are much higher, if we socialize in a group we are well acquainted with. When we are surrounded by loved ones, we are not easily overwhelmed by stress factors in the environment, hence, making it easier to socialize and get along with others. Isolation hampers our ability to function in a normal and healthy way because a lot of energy is inadvertently spent on "combating" loneliness. If these basic social needs are not met, it could have adverse health effects such as high blood pressure, eroded arteries and even digestive disturbances. This isolation can also increase an individual's sense of "perceived threat" and can cause a sensory overload. 12 Lonely or generally isolated people have reported feeling awkward socializing at parties or even going to the local grocery store. Stress factors associated with loneliness can also lead one to make poor nutritional choices and lose out on deep, restorative sleep. Man's desire to be a "social animal" is a form of caretaking, something which has a mutually beneficial effect, so to speak. 365 A collective analysis of 148 studies revealed that a social connection helps us combat health problems better, in addition to keeping us in better health all year round. A sense of belonging in a community makes us better "self-healers" and builds strong immunity to psychological and physical ailments. Individuals who are part of a thriving community have a better sense of empathy and are better equipped to relay that empathy to their fellow community members. 262 PATIENTS An experiment involving 262 patients with Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) concluded that those who interacted with a warm and kind caretaker (as opposed to a rude and inconsiderate one) saw a 62% improvement in their symptoms. It should be noted that both groups were consciously aware of receiving a placebo. The recovery rate was astonishingly the same as that for the most effective drug available for IBS. Actively creating a sense of community around oneself can improves one's ability to be a part of something meaningful and rewarding, supporting general mental as well as physical health. ALO HOUSE www.alorecovery.com RECOVERY CENTERS