4 ALLEGRO MUSICIANS’ ASSISTANCE PROGRAM The Importance of Social Connection By Jackelyn S. Frost, CSW D= years to developing and maintaining one's music ability — a calling that often requires long hhouts of isolated practice — ean sometimes under musician's development of people skills. I's possi ble that some people are drawn to pursuing music as a way of avoiding social interaction with others. And given the intense competition and the shortterm nature of many gigs, supportive social interaction is often hard to find in the musician’s world. ‘To maintain health, however, itis tremendously impor tant to establish a balance between the many areas of your life: career, social life, relationships, home environ- ment, nutition, physical fitness, spirituality, education, fi nances and creativity. People tend to focus on one or two areas of their lives at the expense of most of the others. ~ Building and nurturing a sturdy support network can enrich your life in many ways. A high degree of social connection can inerease your productivity and lower the risk of depression and illness. The stronger your social network, the easier it is to manage problems when times are difficult. Studies have shown a strong correlation be ‘tween involvement in social activity and a healthy const- tution, There is also a significant trickiedown effect with: in society: communities with a variety of civie and social groups and & network of informal connections also tend to have lower rates of crime, teenage pregnancy and child abuse, Unfortunately, such networks tend to be weaker today mit “than they were in earlier periods. In a book entitled “Bowling Alone,” Harvard professor Robert Putnam re ported on decades of social surveys which showed that Americans today spend about 35 percent less time visit ing friends than they did 30 years ago, and that families have dinner together only twoshirds as often as they did in the 1960s. Group membership, voter participation, team sports, pienies ~ practically anything that involves togetherness in groups — appears to have declined sharply. Putnam cites several reasons for this trend. One is entertainment through watching television, which he considers “lethal to social connection.” While many major technological advances of the last century — ears, phones, beepers, cell phones and the in- ternet ~ have the potential to enhance our ability ta con- rect, in some ways they may actually have the opposite effect. Television, radio, computers and telephones allow us to withdraw from life and be comfortable alone of in the isolated units of our families. They keep us company and fill in empty spaces. Instead of talking to other fami- lies, nowadays many of us watch and listen to familiar strangers talking to each other. As society becomes more privatized, social networks tributes to health problems and to heart disease, in par. ticular. Studies indicate that lonely and isolated people are at a three to five times greater risk of premature death, compared to those who have a sense of connection and community. Interacting socially, whether talking or sharing activi- ties, can keep you healthier. It's particularly important to surround yourself with positive, supportive people. Ex tablishing a lifestyle in which you incorporate a sense of ‘optimism, humor, physical fitness and spirituality will hielp you in the long run, and the more types of friends you have, the hetter. All of these elements help to coun- teract the effects of day-today stress. During times of stress some parts of the brain become more active, resulting in elevated levels of stress hor- mones. These are necessary to enable the body to cope with the everyday challenges we all face, but when they remain at heightened levels ver extended periods of time they can become harmful, affecting blood glucose levels, healing, bone density and the aging process. The immune system may function poorly and neurons in your brain may be affected, compromising mental function. Laughter has been shown to reduce stress because it causes chemical changes in our body. When we laugh, stvess hormones that decrease immune funetioning are reduced. Laughter also increases the production of anti- Dodies that have been shown to help fight tumors and viruses. A UCLA study demonstrated that women are more key dhinimen to seek social contact and support from. others when faced with stressful situations, Researchers suggest that this may be why men are more likely than ‘women to suffer harmful effects from stress. ‘As Gerald Ellison, Ph.D., director of Peychoneuroim- munology Services at Cancer Treatment Centers of Amer- ica in Tulsa, Okla., has observed, “Friends — if supportive and encouraging — can inerease our hope when dealing with illness and trauma, And increased hope is associated L_ With higher levels of immune system functioning” = Sources: “Rx for Overall Health: Friendship” in hutp:/fheadaches.about.com/library/weekly/aarefriend- shipa.him; “Be Grateful & Heal Your Body & Spirit” by Keith Levick, Ph.D. in http://www.selfhelpbooks- now.com/FreedrticleList.asp?CatArt=Inspirational; “Emergency Support Network: The Importance Of Support Networks,” in http:/[207.174.231.85/emergency- support/art34.homl; “Where Everybody Knows Your Name” by Brad Edmondson in US Airways Attaché, Feb. 2002, pp. 45:7. 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