El Paso County Public Health
July is Social Wellness Month. How are you staying connected this summer?
Dr. Paul Meyer, co-medical director for the El Paso County Department of Public Health
July is a month dedicated to social wellness, which means it’s a time to build positive social habits and support systems. Building connections connects to what we’ve all been doing since birth – what we’ve learned from our relationships with family, friends, and the larger world around us. We learn how to navigate complex social situations through our interactions with others.
In-person social connections play a key role in keeping us all mentally and physically healthy. Research shows that developing and maintaining a variety of social relationships can help reduce stress. Research also suggests that strong social connections may reduce other health conditions, including heart-related risks, and may even lead to a longer lifespan.
The National Institutes of Health (NIH) offers a Social Wellness Toolkit (https://www.nih.gov/health-information/social-wellness-toolkit) to help individuals and families build support systems to stay better mentally and physically healthy. NIH offers simple solutions to:
- The importance of making connections
- How to care for yourself while caring for others
- Get involved with friends, family and the community
- How to help your kids develop healthy habits
- How to bond with your children and family
- How to build healthy relationships
However you choose to deepen your social wellness this month, remember that starting with small steps can have a big impact on your overall health.
To learn more about how social connections affect our health, visit https://newsinhealth.nih.gov/2017/02/do-social-ties-affect-our-health
If you or a loved one is in need of behavioral health resources or support, please start by visiting the El Paso County Public Health Department’s Behavioral Health webpage.
If you or a loved one is experiencing a mental health crisis, please contact the Colorado Crisis Services Hotline.
- 1-844-493-TALK (8255) or text “TALK” to 38255
- Suicide and Crisis Lifeline: 988
