Book a Free Consultation

Social Support Will Help Heal Your Hormones

Sep 24, 2016

Who do you usually turn to when you need a shoulder to cry on?

Perhaps it’s your best mate in the world who has stuck with you through thick and thin, and alwayspicked up the phone, even if it’s 3 o’clock in the morning. Or maybe you prefer to lean on that family member who you really feel that you can trust? Or perhaps you prefer to stick your partner, a work colleague or even an acquaintance who you’ve only known for a couple of weeks.

It really doesn’t matter exactly who plays a supportive for you.

But it most certainly does matter that you have someone who can provide the social support and love you need when the chips are down, and help guide you through to the other side.

Why social relationships matter

Us humans are social creatures.

Relationships are an essential part of the human experience, and without them we literally wither and die. Healthy relationships help boost our self-esteem, allow us to feel stronger and more connected with the world, and to relax, have some fun and feel like life is worth living.

But this isn’t the only ways that social support can benefit our lives.

In fact, our relationships are indicative of how much stress we are under, how we are dealing it, and how our hormones and happiness are dealing with the challenges.

Support from the people that matter to us means healthier hormones, fewer symptoms of PMT or the menopause, lower chances of developing post-natal depression, and overall, a much happier and vibrant you.

But I’m strong-I don’t need any social support!

In days gone by, we lived as part of an intricate network of friends, neighbours, colleagues and associates. You probably knew everyone working in your local corner shop by first name, could have a decent conversation with your milkman (remember those?) and even crossed paths with the local Busybody from time to time.

But life is not like that anymore.

As the years have gone by, we’ve become more socially isolated. How many families even live in the same town these days? Do you even know your neighbours anymore? Exactly.

Because of this, we’ve started to believe that we just don’t need the strength that comes from being part of a face-to-face community.

We believe we are strong enough to cope on our own somehow We think that we’ll just be laughed at if we show any signs of weakness. And we feel too shy to admit that a helping hand is exactly what would make the biggest difference to our lives and wellbeing.

So we just don’t ask.

We don’t dare bother other people with our ‘insignificant’ problems, and we battle on alone as best we can. We try to swallow our emotions, deal with the stressful situation and continue to be everything to everyone, leaving barely time for ourselves.

This is utter madness.

No woman should ever martyr herself through fear of ‘bothering’ others. No woman should ever have to battle her demons alone. And I guarantee you that everyone would be shocked if they discovered that you’d been having a tough time but didn’t bother to ask for help.

Even if you strongly believe that you are absolutely fine as you are, that everything is completely under control and you don’t need anyone else at all, you could still benefit from a friendly face or two.

We can become so accustomed to stress and challenges that we stop noticing anymore, even though our bodies most certainly haven’t. You still need the amazing support that a strong social circle can offer to your health, your happiness and also your hormones.

How social support helps heal hormones

If you’ve been part of our lovely gang for a while now, you’ll understand deeply the effect that stress has upon your hormonal health. It is by far THE most disruptive thing for your hormones and your overall health and happiness.

You see, when you feel stressed, your body produces more of those stress hormones like cortisol and adrenaline which are responsible for the fight-or-flight reaction.

As a result, the rest of your body struggles to find it’s equilibrium, and you’re suffering from chronic stress, you have a recipe for disaster on your hands in the form of raging PMT, horrible postnatal depression or excruciating symptoms of the peri-menopause and menopause to name just a few.

Social support helps to ease all of these horrible symptoms of stress, and helps to rebalance your hormones at the same time.

Having someone to talk to, someone who you know will listen, or even someone to offer to pick the kids up from school can make a massive difference to your life as it will provide the extra support that you need exactly when you need it most. Importantly, it will also remind you that there are people out there who care.

 

You can benefit from great social support

It’s really easy to benefit from great social support right here and now, and it won’t mean that you need to start posting ‘friends wanted’ ads in your local paper either. You already have everyone you could ever need in your friendship circle and they could provide that essential support when you need it the most. It’s just a case of identifying them all.

In my one-on-one coaching sessions, I use an amazing visual tool called the ‘Web Of Support’. This is a special worksheet that we complete together to highlight the various relationships in your life, so you always know who to turn to. Sometimes, just the act of knowing that they are there for you is enough.

This worksheet does three brilliant things:

It helps you to identify the areas of your life that would benefit most from additional support.
It highlights all of the great relationships you already have in your life.
It helps you to understand that you already have so many people out there that you could lean on in your times of need.
And then I’d encourage you to display it somewhere prominent so you can refer to it often.
Social support is vital for each and every one of us. It doesn’t matter whether you’re strong and capable kind of person- we all need a shoulder to cry on from time to time and it could actually make us happier, healthier and beat many of our hormonal problems.

Who forms part of your own ‘Web Of Support’? Who could you turn to in your hour or need?

P.S If you’d like to know more about my one-on-one coaching or the ‘Web Of Support’, please get in touch. I’d love to hear from you.

 

Image  © Mathias Klang

Menopause & Hormone Support

Straight to Your Inbox

 

Get expert advice, tips & invaluable support delivered to your inbox, so you can start regaining your balance and live a fuller, happier life. 

 

By signing up, you'll be subscribing to the Smarter Change Newsletter. You can unsubscribe at any time.

Does Endometriosis Disappear After Menopause?

Mar 20, 2024

Mould Could Be Affecting Your Menopause

Mar 05, 2024

See All Posts