Maintaining social relationships during depression can be beneficial for supporting overall health and well-being. Maintaining social relationships can provide support, companionship, and a sense of belonging, and it can also help improve mood and reduce symptoms of depression. While some may want to spend more time alone, others may want to spend more time with a few family members or friends. Whether you're the type to isolate yourself or seek refuge with a few close friends or family members, it's important to communicate your feelings to those around you. Your family, friends, and co-workers may notice a change in your behavior, and to avoid any kind of confusion about the reason, taking the time to clarify that you need time to take care of yourself could avoid some unnecessary tension, guilt, or conflict in the future. Not everyone needs to know everything, so be sure to share only what you feel comfortable sharing and with whom you feel comfortable sharing it. The idea of relationship maintenance is simply to enhance your well-being by keeping those you care about close to you and informed of your situation to the extent you feel comfortable disclosing. In addition, you can avoid feeling guilty about not doing the things you used to do with others on the days you take time for yourself, because your peers are more likely to empathize and understand your situation. Sometimes, just texting a few messages or going out with a friend or family member for even a short time can go a long way. Some of the benefits of maintaining social connections are listed below.

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Improved mood

Maintaining social relationships can help improve mood by providing a sense of connection and support.

Increased motivation

Nurturing social relationships can help increase motivation by providing a sense of purpose and meaning.

Improved self-esteem

Nurturing social relationships can help improve self-esteem by making us feel good about ourselves and our social skills.

Increased social support

Maintaining social relationships can help increase social support by providing a network of friends and family who can offer help and advice.

Improved physical health

Maintaining social relationships can help improve physical health by reducing stress and improving overall well-being.

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