What is social support?
A human is a social being – there is no doubt about it. Our need to establish contacts with others, inherent in human nature, manifests itself in the fact that each of us belongs to a certain social group. Some of them are informal – they are, for example, close friends or people from an internet forum who share common interests or problems. The second type is groups formal – class at school or friends from work. Expanding the circle of people in which we turn is very important and it is, in a way “Investment for the future” – the source of ours resourcesthat we can use in difficult times, which is referred to as social support. Currently, thanks to the development of the Internet, expanding the circle of support is becoming easier – there are many websites and forums associating people struggling with similar problemsami, for example when it comes to following a diet. However, it should be remembered that virtual contact is not a substitute real relationshipsworth cherishing and maintaining.
Types of help available
There are many types social supportthat we can obtain from people with whom we are in closer or further relationships. It can take place either directly and by the way indirect, for example, through online contact. These are:
- Emotional support. It is about showing the other person trosky i understanding her troubles. His aim is to care and permission to expression of feelings related to the case. The person being given emotional support can rebuild theirs self-esteemand also get hope on the possibility of finding a solution to the problem. Additionally, it’s important to get the feeling that was not left alone with trouble, and that there is someone who cares about us and who will not leave us in a difficult moment.
- Cognitive Support. It consists in handing over to a person in crisisinformation, which helps her better understand the situationin which she found herself. This type of support includes functioning self-help groupsthat share with the person in need possible ways to solve the problem, which they have developed through their own experience. They also help keep sense of self-control over difficult events that occur in an individual’s life. It gives her it strengthto actively counteract the crisis, which results from the increase in self-confidence and one’s competences.
- Instrumental support. It consists in presenting the person with ready-made provisions that instruct how to act in a given situation. Professionals give to the needy specific tips and teach how to apply effective behavior countermeasures. This type of help does not require the activity of the person receiving the support.
The locus of control and support
It is inseparably connected with social supporta sense of locating one’s own control. Ideally, the help of others enables us to develop or strengthen a belief regarding internalthe location of our control over the problem and its solution. We achieve this thanks to, among other things information support (cognitive). In turn, a certain type of support, for example instrumental, assuming the passivity of the person receiving help can, in some cases, increase feeling external locus of control. Unfortunately, it confirms such people in the belief that they are not able to cope with the problem on their own, and they only succeed with the help of others.
How to use the benefits of support
In order to use social support effectively, it is worth remembering that it should not be confused with doing things out. It is supposed to provide us with the proverbial “fishing rod” and not a “fish”. This means that, for example, on a basis modeling beinformation exchange we can learn from the experiences of others and individually adapt them to our individual situation. It will make you feel responsible for the implementation of their decisions, and yours intrinsic motivation it will get stronger and help you better deal with challenges in the future.