Social Health

Man cannot live without society. As he is an important part of the society, it is very important for him to adjust himself with the society. Being well adjusted to the society determines the level of social health. It determines how a person is useful to the society, how he participates in decision-making, how he solves the social problems and how he behaves with other members of the society. A socially healthy person is very healthy mentally and emotionally, and it improves his physical health too. Social health has several factors, the most important of which are as follows :

·         It involves your ability to form satisfying interpersonal relationships with others.

·         It relates to your ability to adapt comfortably to different social situations.

·         It relates to act appropriately in a variety of settings.

Social health is very crucial in a person's life. It has manifold benefits of strengthening your relationships with others. It involves the situation when a person is able to harmoniously adjust with his family members, friends, peers, coworkers, social members and strangers. The most important factors for having good social relationships with others are :

 ·         Good Communication Skills : These skills include a variety of skills like listening to others, doing negotiations, making decisions, being assertive, solving problems and being confident.

·         Sense of Empathy : A socially healthy person has to have a sense of accountability. He will not allow a social member to suffer alone; he will go and contribute his bit so each one of the society leads a happy and satisfactory life.

·         Sense of Accountability : A socially healthy person cares for the nature like planting trees, ensuring cleanliness and undertaking such other activities which are useful to the society and other social members. This also includes running awareness campaigns for eradication of social evils like Purdah and Burqa customs, Sati and Triple Talaq customs, child marriage, population explosion, illiteracy etc.

·         Sense of Physical Health : A person who makes adequate effort to keep himself and others healthy is a socially healthy person. Thus, those who undertake physical exercise, go out for evening or morning walks, take part in Yoga camps etc., are all socially healthy people. These people also organize camps and activities for others to become socially healthy.

Negative Impact on Social Health

There are several negative traits in people which affect their social health adversely, as follows :

·         Some people choose to be withdrawn from the society; they look to the social happenings with indifference. They cannot be called socially healthy.

·         Some people choose to be vindictive. That is, they tend to harm others. For example, a person who adulterates food for others to consume is socially unhealthy person. Similarly, criminals, black-marketers, bribe-givers, bribe-takers, traffic rule violators, garbage-mongers and such people are socially unhealthy people.

·         Stress and anxiety too are causes of social ill-health. A person who looks the other way when he sees a neighbour suffering alone is socially unhealthy. He is prone to stress and anxiety.

How to be Socially Healthy Person

There are several techniques to be socially healthy. The foremost technique is to develop relationships with others. The other techniques involve the following :

·         Come to Others' Aid : Whenever you see others suffering, come to their aid. Thus, when you see a person wounded because of an accident, it is your social duty to ensure his well-being.

·         Have Self-esteem : If you have a good opinion of yourself, you will like to participate in the socially good programmes and events.

·         Establish a Sense of Identity : If you participate in social programmes, people start to recognize you. A person who takes the initiative becomes a powerful person.

·         Have Emotional Involvement : You should have emotional involvement with social issues, like undertaking cleanliness, planting trees, serving the suffering people, and the like.

These factors are very important in ensuring long-term good social health.

What You Can Do for Your Social Health

You are a young person, but then it is the right time to be cultivated in you the qualities that will ensure your social health in the long term. You can undertake the following activities :

·         Set a routine and be punctual. Do things at their regular time.

·         Keep your appointments and be on time.

·         Share your toys, things and foods with your friends.

·         Develop a hobby, like gardening, collection of stamps or coins, photography etc.

·         Volunteer to take up responsibilities, like taking part in awareness campaigns.

·         Ask for help if you find yourself in trouble.

·     Offer help to others if someone else needs help.