Mental Health Awareness Week 2025 | Community

Since time began, human beings have lived in communities together. In caves, ancient settlements, small villages, then expanding into towns and cities as we do today. Perhaps it is true to say that for many, as our communities have expanded, our sense of loneliness has increased. Big cities do not always readily lend themselves to getting to know people.

Of course it suits many people to live a relatively quiet life where you feel you do not need or want too many people, demanding too much of your time. it is also true, many of those people will still look to belong somewhere or are aligned to some kind of community. That may be as a member of a club, sports team, work group or you might engage in a hobby or interest which brings like-minded people to your social circle. In this way, you can still feel connected.

When we consider ourselves and the evolution of the human race, we are supported when we feel aligned with a ‘tribe’. We are social animals. Gathering information and influences that help inform our values and beliefs, how to be, where to go and what to engage in throughout life. From the families and communities in which we live, from attending school, clubs, making friends and as we grow, intimate relationships and working relationships can all strengthen our sense of safety, resilience and resourcefulness.

When we do not feel a sense of internal safety, we are less able to regulate or calm ourselves down when something distressing or challenging happens to disrupt our normal state. When we surround ourselves with negative beliefs and negative people, we lose confidence and self-belief. We are then less willing to try new things and engage in new situations and social opportunities. If we do not think we belong, we can feel dejected and worthless, once self-esteem lessens we may find our self-respect drops too and we are more likely to accept poor behaviour toward us from others. When we have no support network, life’s difficulties can seems like mountains to climb without any gear and without purpose, we often feel hopeless.

Being included in a safe, positive community is crucial for our wellbeing. We thrive when we have strong links with other people and supportive communities to remind us that we are part of something bigger than ourselves. Communities can provide us with a sense of belonging, safety, and support during challenging times. They can offer us social interaction, opportunities to grow and expand our minds and develop deeper, more meaningful relationships.

Research has shown that those who feel a sense of belonging to their community or have a shared identity and acceptance from others have fewer mental health challenges than those who do not feel loved or are excluded in society, whether that community is about where they live, common interest, religious, social, sexual identity, cultural or ethnic and minority groups.

Being part of something bigger than yourself can bring new perspectives. Supporting others gives a sense of purpose and promotes ‘happy’ chemical production in our brain, as well as providing you with a place where you can feel supported and nourished.

It is often quite scary to think about joining in or signing up to new things as we can fear rejection. we worry about how others might view us or whether we are as ‘good’ as other people but the benefits far outweigh initial concerns. Why not try a small interest group to start? Call a friend you haven’t spoken to in a while, ask someone from work to join you for a coffee, try a new hobby and see if you can connect with more people, perhaps there is something of interest where you live, or you can volunteer for something. Build on the community around you to support your mental health and wellbeing.