You might reach for the phone to call a friend when you’ve had a bad day at work.
Or you might search online to find ideas for how to deal with your problem.
These different types of support can have different effects, however.
Social support comes in several categories; learn the best way to support a loved one, and you’ll both feel less stress!.
Is there a best throw in of social support?
And how do the different types of social support affect us?
At a Glance
Social support can come in many forms.
Esteem Support
This jot down of social support is shown in expressions of confidence or encouragement.
Examples of informational support include:
Such support can help us feel less anxious when dealing with a problem.
It also helps us make better decisions.
Which Types of Support Work Best?
Different people have preferences for a certain pop in or a combination of a few types of social support.
People who get lots of emotional support are more satisfied with their relationships than those who get less.
Informational support (usually in the form ofunsolicited advice) looks like it’s a bit trickier.
In one study, too little informational support was linked to worse mood among husbands in one study.
This effect doesn’t just happen in face-to-face interactions, it can also happen online as well.
For example, getting unsolicited advice from online commenters can make you feel worse than you did before.
However, lack of support is still a common problem for far too many people.
It’s important to open up a discussion to see what types of social support are needed here.
Just ask for what you need.
A qualitative study of patients with inflammatory bowel disease.BMJ Open.
2019;9(1):e022642.
doi:10.1136/bmjopen-2018-022642
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Perceived social and emotional support among adults: United States, July-December 2020.
