The benefits of belonging and a sense of community can never be underestimated when it comes to dealing with mental health. This is particularly the case in Western societies where the cult of individualism has severely eroded a sense of belonging to something larger than yourself.
When dealing with people who struggle with their mental health, it quickly becomes apparent that the human need for belonging and unconditional acceptance is paramount. When people feel a sense of acceptance and belonging to something bigger than themselves, it has a positive effect on their sense of identity.
Western societies in particular have a high degree of loneliness, depression and anxiety. The United Kingdom has even had a Minister for Loneliness since 2018. And our work at ACTS3 shows that young people especially are experiencing levels of anxiety and depression that are unprecedented. This is why our approach to working with people struggling with their mental health involves trying to create a healthy sense of community. A community that is encouraging and accepting goes a long way towards fostering transformation of our mental health.
The benefits of a sense of belonging are numerous. The British author and researcher, Johann Hari, looks at some of these benefits in his 2018 book, Lost Connections.
Hari’s research backs up our experience at ACST3 in that it shows that the major cause of depression and anxiety is to do with our relationships, or lack of them. Most of the reasons people become depressed and anxious are not biological, but are to do with the way we are living in our individualistic society. Amongst the aspects that help people recover from or prevent depression are healthy relationships.
The impacts of living in an individualistic culture are far-reaching. They include the fact that:
Only one other country in the world takes more anti-depressants than Australia;
Every year for the last 40 years the rate of depression has increased;
We need belonging, meaning, a future that makes sense. Our culture is getting less and less good at meeting these needs;
We are the loneliest culture that has ever lived. We are the first humans ever to try to disband our tribes, to try to live alone.
Our epidemic of depression and anxiety is a signal that is telling us that something is wrong in our culture. We have an individualistic belief about what it is to be happy, whereas other cultures have a collective view of happiness.
This is seen when Western culture is contrasted with much of African culture, the latter of which involves the concept of Ubuntu. This concept, which looks at how we gain our sense of identity, has at its core that we gain our sense of self not from a sense of individualism, but from being part of something bigger than ourselves. Its mantra is, “I am because we are”.
The late Archbishop Desmond Tutu says the following about Ubuntu:
“Ubuntu…speaks of the very essence of being human. [We] say [...] ‘Hey, so-and-so has ubuntu.’ Then you are generous, you are hospitable, you are friendly and caring and compassionate. You share what you have. It is to say, ‘My humanity is caught up, is inextricably bound up, in yours.’ We belong in a bundle of life. We say, ‘A person is a person through other persons.’”
This is a stark contrast to the typical Western way of looking at life, which emphasises individuality over community in order to gain a sense of identity. It is also reflected in the levels of anxiety and depression in African cultures, which are generally a lot lower than in Western ones.
This all taps into something which goes to the heart of what it is to be human, which is that to be truly happy in life we need other people and to belong to something larger than ourselves. It seems to be a universal truth, something that is hard-wired into our genes.
One of the reasons for the decline of a sense of community in Western societies is the fact that so many of us live in large urban areas. In cities in particular, there is an inequality in power which affects relationships between urban dwellers. This can have both negative and positive effects as people from vastly differing backgrounds come together in close proximity to each other.
The increased mobility of our lifestyles has also exacerbated the decline of a sense of community in our society. When I was growing up in the 1970s in suburban Melbourne, we knew all our neighbours and regularly came to each other’s aid when it was needed. I have memories of my father and our next-door neighbour fixing household items for each other. Another enduring memory is of a car accident I was involved in not far from my home. As soon as the accident happened, neighbours came out of their homes asking if we were ok. We also regularly played with other children until nightfall.
Gradually though, over the years, as people moved out and the demographics of the neighbourhood changed, that sense of community lessened. I remember an African friend saying to me some years ago that when they first came to Australia, they couldn’t believe how many people live on their own. In her culture, the adage that it takes a village to raise a child was a given.
Creating a sense of community is core to transforming our mental health. Living in an analgesic society, as we do, where Australians take more anti-depressants than almost any other country in the world, only deals with symptoms. This is reflected in the fact that our rates of anxiety and depression remain at epidemic levels.
When we are isolated, we are more likely to become distressed, depressed and anxious. In order to flourish, we need to be together. We need to foster a sense of belonging to each other and believe in our ability to contribute to making a positive difference to our situation and to the community more broadly.
There is no question that a healthy sense of community is the best way to transform the mental health of the individuals within it. Often, the best antidote for depression, anxiety and loneliness is human connection and knowing that you are cared for. It can literally save lives.
If you or someone you know is experiencing mental ill health know that help is available. ACTS3 is a psychosocial rehabilitation organisation that provides a range of services to help individuals overcome mental health challenges and improve their overall well-being. Our team of trained professionals offers evidence-based treatments as well as social support and community-based programs. To learn more about our services and how we can help, email or call us at info@acts3.org.au or1300 290 379.
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