Nowadays, in this fast world, one hears a lot about success, achievements, and materialistic wealth. What makes one happy, however? Money or the people around the family, friends, and neighbors, making up their community? According to Dr. Rajkumari Basu renowned clinical Psychologist, she explains “community plays a huge role in shaping one’s health, happiness, and quality of life.”Here is a look at why community is essential for everyone.
What is a community, and why is it important?
A community is more than just people living in a place. It refers to shared bonds, connections, and support given and received. From birth till the end of our life, the people surrounding us—the family, friends, teachers, colleagues, even neighbors—shaped the different phases of our lives sometimes unknowingly.
“A family is a miniature form of social group or community. Our health, happiness, and well-being are taken care of by the community members right from the time of conception to the last day of our life. Human beings are gregarious by nature they interact at one to one level, one to group, and group to group level for satisfaction of their needs which can be physiological, safety, security, love, belongings, self-esteem, or need for self-actualization. So our life depends on community and our quality of life depends on the quality of support we get from our community.” says Dr. Rajkumari Basu.
We need each other to fulfill the simple needs of food, security, love, and respect. A good community can provide us with our basic needs for security, belongingness, and self-esteem.
Well-being is not just about physical health but also about cognitive and emotional well-being. Numerous studies have shown that people with strong relationships with society do not have loneliness, depression, or anxiety. This is because we all need these people who can help us during our bad times.
- Community support improves our Mental Health-Stress reduces and resilience increases because caring people will ensure stress-reducing situations arise frequently. Studies carried out in health institutes of countries across the world, such as NIMHANS from India, prove communities greatly impact mental health.
- Reduces Loneliness-Communities make sure we are always occupied in doing something. Since families in India are highly bonded, people do not experience loneliness even if they just communicate with neighbors or cousins who might be staying with them.
- Enhanced Wellbeing: Sharing food, helping each other, or just getting together over festivals can better our welfare. Giving back to other people is also good for us.
Community and Quality of Life
Quality of life doesn’t mean living in grandeur but feeling satisfied and satisfied with life. Many with scarce facilities live happier because of the support from fellowmen. For instance, there are people in smaller towns and villages in India with low-paying jobs or modest houses, but happiness fills their lives with gathering or festivals and helping each other out.
According to Dr.Rajkumari Basu, “Quality of life is a subjective perception of one’s reality related to their personal goal settings. A person with minimal amenities can have a good quality of life if he or she is happy and finds well-being in a supportive community. Social support, education, work-life balance, and personal relationships that a person gets from the community are more important and have a greater impact on quality of life than the abundance of wealth! It is the satisfaction you feel in your daily life, which improves your overall well-being”.
How Communities Improve Quality of Life Across Cultures
Dr Rajkumari Basu further adds’”communities have been there for people since the Stone Age! From those tribe days when mankind was out hunting to the modern-day neighborhoods, people have always supported each other to live better. The kind of support may vary from culture to culture, but the purpose remains the same: to make our lives better.”
In India, social structures are very rooted in family and community traditions, whether in villages or cities. This sense of community often extends to religious groups, cultural clubs, and even housing societies, giving people a sense of identity and security.
Community and Mental Health: The Statistics
Let’s take a quick look at what experts say about community and mental health:
– According to the WHO, people with a rich community have 50 percent less chance of depression
– Harvard University studies explain that social support leads towards a healthier and longer lifespan.
– A 2022 India survey found people who live in a close-knit family or the community reported higher happiness while lesser stress levels were perceived in comparison to those leading their lives alone.
Through these statistics, it could be seen that life, after all, is lived better together!
Ways to Build a Strong Community
A strong community does not necessarily mean big acts. Simple ways to connect and contribute include:
- Time with Family and Neighbours: Spending quality time with family or just catching up with the neighbors can help create a warm atmosphere.
- Celebrate Festivals and Traditions Together: Festivals such as Diwali, Eid, and Christmas are ideal opportunities to strengthen bonds. Engage in celebrating with neighbors and friends to create a more connected bond.
- Volunteering for Social Causes: Joining local groups working for the environment, education, or helping the elderly. It can bring a sense of purpose and connection.
- Offer Help When Needed: Small gestures like helping n elderly neighbor with groceries or lending an ear to someone in need create bonds that are worth more than any material support.
Modern-Day Challenges: Technology and Loneliness
Although technology has bonded us globally, it sometimes isolates us from people living close to us. In a world where most people own social media and smartphones, one is less face-to-face. Thus, loneliness is one of the serious issues that has also been witnessed in urban India.
This can be overcome by striking a balance between digital connections and real-life interactions. For example, you could make time each week to catch up in person or attend a community event. Real human interactions give us a sense of belonging that social media simply can’t.
Give and Take: A Two-Way Street
This all is about giving and taking, isn’t it? For example, if I have my time, energy, love, or even knowledge to share, a certain atmosphere will be established within which everyone can reapnbenefit from. According to Dr.Rajkumari Basu, “Quality of life is a give-and-take process for instance where I manage to raise the quality of somebody’s life, then this very act if heartfelt often becomes the source to my well-being as well!”.
It is as if it is an investment in happiness. Each good deed done to someone bounces back to you many times—whether in friendship, in help when one needs it, or simply in a feeling of delight.
Creating a Happier, Healthier Life Together
Community is a precious part of our life. Starting from the family we are born into, then friends and neighbors chosen by us, these connections all make us who we are. Dr. Rajkumari Basu reminds us “that our quality of life has an inherent co-relationship with the quality of support that is being received. The best part is that each of us can do something for the community to become happier and healthier.”
Read more from Searching Soulmate:
- The Power of Cultural Events in Networking: How Pujo Adda Creates Strong Personal and Professional Bonds
- How Can 5 Simple Changes Make Public Spaces Safer for Everyone?
- Pujo Adda: Where Past Meets Present and Memories are Born
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