Answer :
Social support provides notable benefits to individuals' health by directly enhancing immune system functioning and by promoting healthier behaviors. It has been linked to improved physical and mental health outcomes, including better immune system responses and a decrease in cardiovascular diseases.
Social support is said to have beneficial effects on the immune, endocrine, and cardiovascular systems of people. It can help mitigate the effects of stress and leads to improved wellbeing through two main avenues. Firstly, there is a direct physiological benefit where social support can give a boost to the immune system. For instance, spouses of cancer patients with high levels of social support showed enhanced immune functioning. Secondly, social support can influence healthier lifestyle choices such as regular exercise, balanced diet, cessation of smoking, and adherence to medical regimens.
Research has consistently demonstrated that good social support creates a buffer against the adverse health effects of stress and can lead to improved health outcomes. This encompasses not only physical health benefits like fewer cases of inflammatory responses and immune disorders, but also general well-being with happier and optimistic individuals displaying stronger immune defenses.
