We know that our environment impacts our physical, mental, and cognitive functioning. Our environment or the influence of social issues can affect how that person functions in a social setting.
Why are Social Issues and/or Attachment so important?
The psychiatrist, Dr. Bowlby, studied the social relationship between mother and child by looking at the behavioral and psychological consequences of strong and weak emotional bonds between these groups. After watching the social interaction between mother and child, he developed the Attachment Theory that posits that there are four basic kinds of social attachments:
- Secure Attachment: these infants showed distress upon separation and sought comfort and were calmed when their caregiver returned.
- Anxious-Resistant Attachment: these infants experience intense distress however their connection was a mixture of wanting comfort from their caretakers and well as “punishing” their parents for leaving.
- Avoidance Attachment: these infants show little or no distress when the caretaker leaves or when they are reunited with the parent.
- Disorganized-Disorganized Attachment: these infants and children typically have no predictable pattern of attachment behaviors.
Healthy attachment behaviors tend to lead to better social relationships at home, work, and school which in turn lead to better social outcomes for the individual. Securely attached people tend to be bullied less, have decreased negative social interactions, and have a higher rate of making and keeping friends.
Another aspect of social issues is social media. Social media is one of the primary ways that people attempt to connect with others. While social media can be helpful, it can also be a source of anxiety and depression for many people. Studies show a positive correlation between the number of hours spent on social media and negative self-esteem. For example, the more time spent looking at pictures of others on social media, the more a person may begin to feel less than, “not enough”, and later feel more anxiety and depression than they did prior to viewing the social media.
If you or your teen is struggling with fitting in, attachment, and/or social issues, please call us at 301-570-7500 for help.
