Recovery Through Connection

We know that connection is necessary not only for surviving but thriving. For people with lived experience of mental illness, connection and support are crucial. A New Zealand study cited in its introduction that many research studies have supported the premise that “…social connectedness causally protects and promotes mental health” (Saeri, et al., 2017).

A 2020 Statistics Canada study states that “Socially connected persons with mental health-related disabilities were more likely to report positive ratings for self-rated mental health and general health, to be satisfied with life, and to have a strong sense of belonging to their community” (Strautins and McDiarmid).

The challenge is often people with lived experience of mental illness don’t have enough support. Here are just a few of the reasons why people with lived experience of mental illness are isolated:

• Stigma, both internalized and from other people and society in general
• Supporters are burnt out caring for a loved one with mental illness and distance themselves
• A person with mental illness may isolate because of social anxiety
• Complex systems of oppression, such as racism, homophobia, sexism, and/or poverty contribute to isolation
• A person with lived experience has recently moved and doesn’t have a social network
• Living alone

There can be a lot of barriers when it comes to creating connections but there are opportunities in our communities for finding connections for people with lived experience of mental illness. I have brainstormed some possible ideas for building a support network below.

Mental health community non-profits often offer mental health recovery groups on a variety of topics (there are often art making groups) and sometimes for specific populations, such as men’s groups. If groups seem intimidating, try getting a peer support worker. A peer support worker also has a mental illness, and developing a peer relationship can be a great way to get social connection needs met, as well as receiving support for recovery.

Also, community recreation centres offer such a wide range of classes and activities where someone could create connection. Some places in BC offer L.I.F.E passes for those with disabilities on fixed budgets to gain free access community activities and programs.

Some towns have mental health clubhouses where one can go and get a meal or join in a free activity and find connection with other people with lived experience of mental illness.

Taking classes or job training can be another great way of meeting people, especially those who have similar interests. Some Recovery Colleges may have in person programs to develop connection.

Often anxiety and shame undermine our confidence in our ability to make friends. It is so helpful to have counselling or attend a therapeutic group to address these feelings and develop some coping tools around social anxiety or internalized stigma.

Sometimes we have friend or family connections, but we are having trouble navigating healthy relationships. We may feel like we can’t ask for what we need or, the opposite, we feel we are relying to heavily on that person. We may find some people are asking too much from us and not respecting basic boundaries that help our mental health. The next couple posts will talk about needs and boundaries in relationships. These are good posts for persons with lived experience of mental illness and their supporters because needs and boundaries work in both directions.

I want to make a note here about how many connections you need for a support network. Whether you are an introvert, an extrovert or somewhere in between, we all have different needs around spending time with people and how many people we need to feel our connection needs are met. This is no time to compare with others (despite what you see on social media). Use your intuition around what feels good for connection. Also, some people prefer group social time and some people prefer socializing one-on-one (or a mix of both). Honestly, needs around connection are very personal. Sometimes it can be helpful to check in with yourself: Am I feeling like I have enough connection? Am I feeling overwhelmed by social connection? Am I wanting closer friends who I can really talk to? Am I wanting a group of people to participate in activities I love?

Humans aren’t our only source of connection. Animals and nature are two powerful ways of feeling connected to life.

Pets can provide an invaluable source of comfort and joy. They also release oxytocin, dopamine, and serotonin in the brain, which are all important for mental health (Marie, S., 2022). Connections with animals even reduce cortisol, the stress hormone (Marie, S., 2022). Some animals help you get outdoors and be active. If you have barriers for getting an animal yourself, there are other ways to interact with animals.

Here is some supportive research on animals and mental illness:

“Animals sometimes help people improve their mental health through animal-assisted intervention, or AAI, which includes service animals, therapy animals, and emotional support animals, or ESAs. In a pilot study, people with serious mental illness were paired with a dog or cat as a new ESA. Within a year of receiving their new pet, the owners expressed many ways in which their companion helped with mental illness recovery, including a relief of anxiety and/or depression symptoms upon interacting with their pet.” (Canada, J., 2025)

Of course, not everyone is an animal person, and animals can also bring stress if they are ill or have very aggressive behaviour. Connecting with animals, even from a distance (like listening to bird song, or watching otters in the ocean), can be therapeutic.

Nature is also a way people improve mood and improve mental health. While I think many of us know this, it is also helpful to know that research supports this, especially if you are supporting someone with lived experience of mental illness and offering recommendations for positive activities.

In an article, “Nurtured by Nature,” Weir talks about the research around well-being and nature: “In a review of the research, Gregory Bratman, PhD, an assistant professor at the University of Washington, and colleagues shared evidence that contact with nature is associated with increases in happiness, subjective well-being, positive affect, positive social interactions, and a sense of meaning and purpose in life, as well as decreases in mental distress” (Science Advances, Vol. 5, No. 7, 2019).

Connection is imperative for mental health. On a personal level, keeping close connections with a close circle of people, has been integral to my happiness and well-being. I am also more joyful in nature and when connecting with animals, especially dogs:)

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Okay, are you ready to dive into making art?🎨

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Therapeutic Arts Activity

Choose one connection – a human, animal, a special part of nature – that you want to nurture and plan an activity involving that connection.

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Instructions

The same as above. Plan an activity around a connection.

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Materials Needed

• Anything you might need for your activity

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Once you’ve completed this activity, here are some questions as guidelines for your personal explorations:

1. What area of connection did you feel you need to nurture?

2. What activity did you plan?

3. How did it feel?

4. How is connection and your mental health recovery related?

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It can be difficult when you are isolated to know where to start. Even simple steps of connectionn like subscribing to mental health online magazines, or following someone on YouTube who talks about mental health recovery, can help you become part of a community. If you are isolated, know that you are already connected to a wide circle of people who also live with mental illness, many of whom have been isolated at one point in their lives.

❤️❤️❤️ With care and kindness, Meegan

In the spirit of creating a community of reflection and art making, your comments are welcome. If you choose to leave a comment, it is important to know I respect your privacy. Your information will not be given, lent, rented, or sold to anyone. However, when making a comment on the site, your IP address and browser user will be collected. Please see full Privacy details on my Privacy Policy Page Privacy Policy. If you are having a mental health emergency, please take care of yourself, and call 911 or take yourself to emergency at your closest hospital.

Sources:

Canada, Jupiter. (2025). How Animals Improve Mental Health. Indiana Public Media. How Animals Improve Mental Health | A Moment of Science – Indiana Public Media.

Marie, S. (2022). 10 Mental Health Benefits of Pets. PsychCentral. Science Says: This Is How Pets Help Your Mental Health.

Saeri AK, Cruwys T, Barlow FK, Stronge S, Sibley CG. Social connectedness improves public mental health: Investigating bidirectional relationships in the New Zealand attitudes and values survey. Australian & New Zealand Journal of Psychiatry. 2017;52(4):365-374. doi:10.1177/0004867417723990.

Strautins and McDiarmid. (2020). Social connections among persons with and without mental health-related disabilities. Statistics Canada. Social connections among persons with and without mental health-related disabilities, 2020.

Weir, Kirsten. Nurtured by Nature. American Psychological Association. https://www.apa.org/monitor/2020/04/nurtured-nature