Importance of Socialization for Psychology and Mental Health

Last Updated: July 09, 2023

Author: Shrima Chudal

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A society is where people learn to grow personally, speak their hearts out, observe their surroundings, express their feelings, and take necessary actions in life.

The act of participating in any social event and increasing personal networking with different personalities is the basic concept of socialization.

The term socialization is nothing new, however, the actual meaning of this term has been constantly changing which has significantly affected our mental well-being.

I am trying to address here, how important socialization is for safeguarding people’s psychological and mental well-being.

Welcome to a new episode of the podcast and today, I will be talking about the importance of socialization for psychology and mental health.

Well, the meaning of socialization has been a lot more different in today’s world compared to several decades ago.

In between this timeline, the positive effects of socialization have been neglected which is why it has been very important to make people aware of what socialization actually is and how is it supposed to be.

We can’t deny the fact that we, as human beings, are the closest to our society and social life. Our need and desire for a sense of belongingness never dies.

Every one of us searches for people of our kind and we are never tired of finding opportunities for making meaningful social connections with them.

Participation in social interactions enhances one’s self-esteem and boosts confidence. It creates a healthy relationship among like-minded people and further opens new platforms and builds deeper connections.

Socialization is the closest one can get to experiencing a real-life environment that incorporates communication as one of the crucial components meaning that, a good communication approach plays a vital role in making socialization effective.

Let me first get into how people and their gadgets have now been inseparable today. Technology has been upgrading every passing day. People are more attracted to reels than to real things.

Whatever gets shown to people through the virtual world is meant to make them feel better but that feeling becomes hollow inside when people have to face a real-world scenario.

This has been proven to affect the psychology of people due to which negative thoughts, insecurities, and feelings like worthlessness arise.

Thus, being socially active makes people up-to-date with current and factual information through constant communication and conversation with people within and around their network.

Psychological well-being comes along with an individual’s satisfaction with their peace of mind. Now every individual is different and has their own definition of peacefulness.

However, meeting people, talking to them, sharing things, and understanding each other’s perspectives helps people settle their thoughts and enable them to see things through multiple lenses. This feeling creates a sense of satisfaction in an individual’s life.

Western societies recognize the importance of socialization in promoting mental well-being but their emphasis seems to be shifting from physical socialization to virtual socialization.

In this digital world, we can’t unsee the rising trend for virtual socialization and it certainly has its own benefit of engaging people from different countries. However, it can be less meaningful and less effective than the physical one.

There are several ways in which socialization that helps to promote the mental health and psychology of people. It includes family, friends, workplaces, communities, peer groups, and various other networks.

Positive interactions with them enable acceptance and emotional support which has a positive association with mental well-being. It helps to detox them and refill their mind with meaningful thoughts. 

Social gatherings and family functions help individuals to be connected with people and create a comfortable environment for them to express their opinions and perceptions providing them with a sense of contribution toward the society.

People realize how sharing common knowledge can be the source of solutions for others. It makes people understand how complex things can be solved simply.

Inclusive community is a major and essential component of socialization, especially in Western societies because it brings a diverse array of people together and creates a space where everyone feels welcomed and worthy.

The more people are exposed to different communities; the more will they be mentally active. The more diverse the socialization gets; the more psychological and mental well-being gets balanced.

Socialization itself is a broad concept and it keeps on getting bigger. It can’t only be limited to certain areas of life, instead, it incorporates a wider scope of an individual’s well-being.

There are several ways of promoting socialization some of them being, authenticity, quality, communication, and diversity.

Socialization doesn’t cure any mental state of illness but provides overall satisfaction and a balance between life that positively promotes an individual’s psychological and mental well-being along with providing a constant upgrade in personal life.

I am therefore concluding by saying that cultivating the habit of being socially active both virtually and in person is always the best way to work on your mental as well as psychological health.

Thank you for joining me on today’s episode. I hope you found this episode helpful and insightful. Take care, everyone.

About Author

Shrima is an undergraduate student currently pursuing her bachelor’s degree in public health in Nobel College affiliated to the Pokhara University of Nepal and is on her final year. She is actively engaged in research-oriented activities. She has a keen interest in the areas of mental health and has worked in several projects related to mental well-being. She is working in a project named as,’ Abyekta Katha- an untold story’ initiated by a youth-led organization named ‘Sky is the limit’ that aims to provide awareness about mental health and well-being targeting to adolescent of Nepal. She has also conducted various School health programs and is planning to continue doing so in future.

About Narrator

Ben Borchard the narrator of the story is a Neuroscience and Psychology student of St. Olaf College in Northfield, Minnesota. Ben has actively worked as a Buddhist Monastery volunteer in FDIP program and reflected his compassionate and helpful nature.