Are you anti-social? It can have dire effects on your health

In our busy lives, we sometimes find ourselves missing an aspect that is considered a significant part of human nature: meaningful social interactions. "I had a lot of friends in college. After we started working, we would still try and meet over the weekend. But soon some moved to other cities and most climbed up the professional ladder. With more work in hand, travelling for work, and no time to destress, I couldn't find time to see them," said Gayatri Sinha, a 32-year-old software professional. "I didn't think much about it, till my health started deteriorating. I would get migraines and feel general lethargy over the weekend. I couldn't concentrate on my work."

When Sinha went to the doctor, she was advised to consult a psychologist as well. "She told me that a lot of my physical and mental health is being affected by my current lifestyle. I joined a book club and started meeting people there during weekends. I also started to inculcate a work-life balance. After a few months, my migraines started to dissipate."

Most people consider social interactions to be an important aspect of mental wellbeing. "We've all heard the adage: Humans are social animals. Evolutionarily, that is what has kept our species going. However, aside from mental wellbeing, studies have shown that our brain and our general health are also associated with us reaching out and meeting people," said Dr Komal Basu, a general physician in Kolkata. "When patients are hospitalised and recovering, when there are people around them, calling them, we have noticed faster recovery." The observation runs close with the study published in 1984, where researchers found that of 2,340 men who survived a heart attack, the ones with strong connections with other people had only a quarter the risk of death within the following three years compared with those who lacked social connectedness.



SOCIAL MEDIA A POOR REPLACEMENT

For many, social media has taken over physical interactions. But it is usually not as fulfilling. Anurag Desai, a 39-year-old marketing professional, travels most of the month and doesn't get much time to meet his friends. "Even while travelling, I'm mostly holed up at work or in my hotel room. I have a lot of friends on social media, but not many in real life." Desai had long bouts of viral infection, and when he found out that he had high blood pressure with no strong reason to pinpoint to, he started consulting a mental health professional. "I was told by doctors that lack of friends had also affected my immune system. I decided to join a gym and now have a few friends there who I meet regularly."

"Social interaction enables humans to move out of their homes and offices and interact in person with others at places different than their day-to-day place of work or stay. When you move out, it encourages physical activity and increases blood flow to various organs, besides allowing face-to-face interactions. It pushes you to understand emotions, facial expressions and body language, which results in reciprocation of responses from the other side in the desired form. This brings holistic mental and physical interaction, unlike the virtual world where most of the things are either textual or based on emoticons," said Dr Sandeep Vohra, senior consultant (psychiatry) at Apollo Hospitals, New Delhi.


For many, social media has taken over physical interactions (Image: Thinkstock)

INTERACTIONS FOR LIFE

A social life is not only for the young, but a significant aspect for the elderly as well. "In India, elderly people usually feel they are useless because they feel they are unable to contribute towards their family or society. Ageism is a serious form of social discrimination and has a negative impact on the self-esteem and well-being of elders. If they are socially active, they get the feeling of being more meaningful to the world, have improved sense of purpose and get the feeling that they are still involved in the world around them. It boosts their self-respect and dignity. It has also shown to enhance their physical, mental and emotional well-being. One can enhance their lives and enrich their senior years simply by increasing their social encounters," said Dr Manisha Arora, senior consultant physician and geriatrician at Sri Balaji Action Medical Institute, New Delhi. Arora suggested morning/evening walks, yoga classes and kitty parties to encourage well-being among the elderly.

IF YOU ARE AN INTROVERT...

One may be naturally an introvert, or find social interactions draining. But it's important to understand that a healthy social lifestyle is an integral part of human nature. Start with one or two, or join a hobby club and build your social interactions. "Social interaction is like oxygen for all of us and allows us to position ourselves in social hierarchy in a balanced way, based on our capabilities and aspirations. It allows us to correct or realign ourselves in our own perception in various areas of life by interaction with others, which is very good for our emotional and neuronal agility," said Vohra.