<p>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;The role of family is a popular topic of study in mental health, but often from the point of view of how family and genetics influence mental health disorders and conditions.&nbsp; There is another important element to consider when it comes to mental health treatment: the importance of quality time with loved ones, and its role in mental health treatment.</p> <p><strong>How do family connections factor into mental health?</strong></p> <p>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; The role of family and friends can fall, interestingly, into two categories when it comes to the importance of time spent: helpful and hindering connections for those dealing with mental health conditions.</p> <ul> <li><strong>Helpful time with family and friends:</strong> Family and friends who provide love, compassion, empathy, and support to the person dealing with a mental health condition, have important roles to play.&nbsp; From day-to-day operations, to dealing with a crisis, family can help ease the journey of someone who needs support and guidance.&nbsp; Quality time spent with supportive people can also provide trust and a sense of centring for the patient, which is crucial to making other mental health treatments more effective.&nbsp; Emotional stability can come from that time.</li> <li><strong>Hindering time with family and friends:</strong> Some time spent with family and friends, especially so-called &ldquo;quality time&rdquo; can actually worsen a mental health condition or crisis.&nbsp; For instance, siblings who deliberately cause a flare up of anxiety.&nbsp; Or, friends or parents who worsen a patient&rsquo;s depressive episode by making light of it.&nbsp; Sometimes family and friends can cause more harm than good, making separation a crucial part of a patient&rsquo;s treatment long-term in order to create emotional stability.</li> </ul> <p><strong>Not all family connections are supportive</strong></p> <p>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; From unstable parents to disrespectful and apathetic friends, and beyond, sometimes separation from &ldquo;quality&rdquo; time spent with them, can be a crucial part of mental health treatment.&nbsp; Studies show that those who live alone, or separated from family and friends, can be just as happy and healthy as those who live in those households.&nbsp; It often comes down to separating and determining a healthy and important relationship versus an unstable one.&nbsp;</p> <p>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Sometimes, &ldquo;chosen&rdquo; family is going to be more supportive and important for a patient&rsquo;s journey, as opposed to biological or &ldquo;assumed&rdquo; family and friends.&nbsp; Quality time spent with the former option can be helpful, whereas time spent with the latter, destructive.</p> <p><strong>Connection is important for mental health treatment</strong></p> <p>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; All that being said, there is a designated role for family and friends when it comes to providing compassion and support.&nbsp; For many, it is their family that they grow up with.&nbsp; For others, though, family exists in other forms and in other people in order to help promote a stronger, better connection and better support.&nbsp;</p> <p>&nbsp;The role of family and emotional support factors into mental health treatment at all ages, and its importance is thought to increase with time and age.&nbsp; Quality time with the right people can be a core part of long-term mental health treatment.&nbsp; The key is, of course, that it is quality time spent with the right family and friends.</p> <p>Sources:</p> <ul> <li><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2927880/">https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2927880/</a></li> <li><a href="https://www.journals.uchicago.edu/doi/abs/10.1086/227419">https://www.journals.uchicago.edu/doi/abs/10.1086/227419</a></li> </ul>