Withdrawing from social situations is one of the hallmark symptoms of depression, and can keep a person from a return to good health.

We know that social contact can improve depression, but in the past research has focused on having deep and meaningful relationships to do this, when actually all we might need is to feel like a part of the group.

Research by the University of Queensland found that when people with depression joined a group activity like sewing or sports, and felt connected to the group in a ‘us’ rather than ‘them’ manner, more than two thirds of the people had a reduction in the frequency and severity of depressive symptoms, making them no longer classified as clinically depressed. In comparison, the people who didn’t feel connected to others in the group had a 50% likelihood of continuing to be depressed.

This is a really significant and useful finding for people with depression who are ready to return to socialising. Rather than turning up to the first group activity you can find and sitting through it, this research tells us that it’s worth being fussy and moving around several groups until you find one which is right for you. Taking the first step towards socialising again can be a hard one, but when you find a group which you feel a part of, you might never need to take those steps again.

Faye Prior (Researcher)

Source

Cruwys, T., Haslam, S., Dingle, G., Jetten, J., Hornsey, M. et al. (2014). Felling connected again: Interventions that increase social identification reduce depression symptoms in community and clinical settings. Journal of Affective Disorders, 159, 139-46.

Image: https://www.flickr.com/photos/studiobeeldruis/2797033109