Building connections is essential for mental wellbeing. Relationships and friendships brings love, a sense of belonging, provides support and increases feelings of self-worth. People with stronger and wide-ranging relationships are happier, healthier and live longer.
To build and strengthen connections with others:
![](https://glow-prod-fi.s3.eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/fi/public/khsmentalhealthtoolkit/uploads/sites/12713/2021/08/06115411/family-e1628247336536-300x112.jpg?X-Amz-Content-Sha256=UNSIGNED-PAYLOAD&X-Amz-Security-Token=IQoJb3JpZ2luX2VjECEaCWV1LXdlc3QtMSJHMEUCIBGkXIm2gtVI7lYZK58iDnyKYsj%2FHUCRFqIKCrdAX24ZAiEAl1rgU9gcb8Gy29q0GcV0eelzgwaknOrd9UH7lKZsYugqwQUI6v%2F%2F%2F%2F%2F%2F%2F%2F%2F%2FARAFGgwyNzM1NzAxOTU0MzMiDGrg98opHDaY0S0NySqVBYuYPuuNJlMs1pfSbTe9V8uPVht2RBHy8QhjLibe%2FmuOuUGRPKe80Qyxko7dtW%2F07Zkvx%2Fmg9xm7QXoJ84R5Y0I7MakPHtWBxoDFAcjw1MN7ctS5bfYziRXp74RWcSUtw%2BW%2FJAbnJWlPTt%2BnvzhLFJzDwQGEunm2kesbk1mVApb8G3ZX%2FkIFsAduHFLDBW%2FHVxHFU3MM2IBXI%2BhGignAZKkW3GmGy3nRpMAMGwtnjC82vQ3K1IXDvh7KHVJgy1UZKoMpFRfv26rVzxm4ZstDcBrfHUmdWZyIDalCoKBGS1I7U7%2FCsuOCMcA%2B3RbjRslxhDODRZVo6%2Bk3KzaPNMug5Mb0rMg%2BnN%2F%2B2h2GP26il5IxtnFpXaPtcOkgbeXjLpOMWI7eGzVlNjnrJJmJgXhSajGuYr0IlsBXDUPNcwxy7LSvwUY2YzRp0sN9pgyStzc2sYRhSyKpr1HS9326sYnX5OkLPjKYKC8dNuywJGW6pMFvUAKtqgfDA5m1kUgne8NzvHsb%2FbuQEZcDkOFjxGHLC6E%2B9iBKhVIjN2sqiJfvg5vblL%2BRadLkgWgVkkiqEu1TUskEV7fHnce799fVbV9MYlGT9zpCKLXy3Vz8vreyiO%2B3Wab%2BkctKJ%2FsqOz1euSY6rbsexGtGrW8588MQ3o795wGw%2B7ZSGvuHrb7Sp5OfXQnTnRGrFmhC6rBk001vRdBkpWPpMIqAP1yy8sBBzCu3Ls33i7VlC%2B6rl0Ydoe6fJrsME9ErCKEpfsac88ecQEVMz4kzkZXlxbQJ6IjYVzngX5I6hfA2OGxmOeC3yRghWKGse5DP6s2d%2FEM0Qs2SaRyjomcWJEcNA7f0hu%2FE%2FtICM1LKLNFvuzQ92a25OIDt%2FDZiJg7Fluswg4netAY6sQGr94ST92PTqUzSYeMceqsOTj1ahj3XWqhCNhMaNkmxie4He7qswUXqUmf9sGOE2LXvIAeWJob%2B5mbqx6ZYAHHL58pt2gDPa51LZA1ESNr1SqeDp0XhadPFLGIM%2B01mAtaXcSxIDkZHHcJigPSxJjAka6CU34O9VhWNJu9U%2FgQYQR7XDrLdNbIhzH%2B95Ho29d%2BBw5Oj%2F07jwyTgpx31bE%2FjphmGhM6HM1UIpx3uw2t4UlM%3D&X-Amz-Algorithm=AWS4-HMAC-SHA256&X-Amz-Credential=ASIAT7MQN47U3LYVJYH5%2F20240717%2Feu-west-1%2Fs3%2Faws4_request&X-Amz-Date=20240717T093020Z&X-Amz-SignedHeaders=host&X-Amz-Expires=900&X-Amz-Signature=6c3cd64e406aa61b8c64ed51a4690a02a8a419d49a4b5d655bc2eadcbfe6e31c)
1) Regularly spend time with your family. When you can meet in person, put down the your phone and technology to build stronger relationships.
![](https://glow-prod-fi.s3.eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/fi/public/khsmentalhealthtoolkit/uploads/sites/12713/2021/08/06115602/friends-e1628247388157-300x104.jpg?X-Amz-Content-Sha256=UNSIGNED-PAYLOAD&X-Amz-Security-Token=IQoJb3JpZ2luX2VjECEaCWV1LXdlc3QtMSJHMEUCIBGkXIm2gtVI7lYZK58iDnyKYsj%2FHUCRFqIKCrdAX24ZAiEAl1rgU9gcb8Gy29q0GcV0eelzgwaknOrd9UH7lKZsYugqwQUI6v%2F%2F%2F%2F%2F%2F%2F%2F%2F%2FARAFGgwyNzM1NzAxOTU0MzMiDGrg98opHDaY0S0NySqVBYuYPuuNJlMs1pfSbTe9V8uPVht2RBHy8QhjLibe%2FmuOuUGRPKe80Qyxko7dtW%2F07Zkvx%2Fmg9xm7QXoJ84R5Y0I7MakPHtWBxoDFAcjw1MN7ctS5bfYziRXp74RWcSUtw%2BW%2FJAbnJWlPTt%2BnvzhLFJzDwQGEunm2kesbk1mVApb8G3ZX%2FkIFsAduHFLDBW%2FHVxHFU3MM2IBXI%2BhGignAZKkW3GmGy3nRpMAMGwtnjC82vQ3K1IXDvh7KHVJgy1UZKoMpFRfv26rVzxm4ZstDcBrfHUmdWZyIDalCoKBGS1I7U7%2FCsuOCMcA%2B3RbjRslxhDODRZVo6%2Bk3KzaPNMug5Mb0rMg%2BnN%2F%2B2h2GP26il5IxtnFpXaPtcOkgbeXjLpOMWI7eGzVlNjnrJJmJgXhSajGuYr0IlsBXDUPNcwxy7LSvwUY2YzRp0sN9pgyStzc2sYRhSyKpr1HS9326sYnX5OkLPjKYKC8dNuywJGW6pMFvUAKtqgfDA5m1kUgne8NzvHsb%2FbuQEZcDkOFjxGHLC6E%2B9iBKhVIjN2sqiJfvg5vblL%2BRadLkgWgVkkiqEu1TUskEV7fHnce799fVbV9MYlGT9zpCKLXy3Vz8vreyiO%2B3Wab%2BkctKJ%2FsqOz1euSY6rbsexGtGrW8588MQ3o795wGw%2B7ZSGvuHrb7Sp5OfXQnTnRGrFmhC6rBk001vRdBkpWPpMIqAP1yy8sBBzCu3Ls33i7VlC%2B6rl0Ydoe6fJrsME9ErCKEpfsac88ecQEVMz4kzkZXlxbQJ6IjYVzngX5I6hfA2OGxmOeC3yRghWKGse5DP6s2d%2FEM0Qs2SaRyjomcWJEcNA7f0hu%2FE%2FtICM1LKLNFvuzQ92a25OIDt%2FDZiJg7Fluswg4netAY6sQGr94ST92PTqUzSYeMceqsOTj1ahj3XWqhCNhMaNkmxie4He7qswUXqUmf9sGOE2LXvIAeWJob%2B5mbqx6ZYAHHL58pt2gDPa51LZA1ESNr1SqeDp0XhadPFLGIM%2B01mAtaXcSxIDkZHHcJigPSxJjAka6CU34O9VhWNJu9U%2FgQYQR7XDrLdNbIhzH%2B95Ho29d%2BBw5Oj%2F07jwyTgpx31bE%2FjphmGhM6HM1UIpx3uw2t4UlM%3D&X-Amz-Algorithm=AWS4-HMAC-SHA256&X-Amz-Credential=ASIAT7MQN47U3LYVJYH5%2F20240717%2Feu-west-1%2Fs3%2Faws4_request&X-Amz-Date=20240717T093020Z&X-Amz-SignedHeaders=host&X-Amz-Expires=900&X-Amz-Signature=f6548fd70e76115123b243aa6fd9febf404be52a7a3a7c716e35964cf2b16cb7)
2) Arrange to meet up with friends.
![](https://glow-prod-fi.s3.eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/fi/public/khsmentalhealthtoolkit/uploads/sites/12713/2021/08/06115738/facetime-e1628247657450-300x126.jpg?X-Amz-Content-Sha256=UNSIGNED-PAYLOAD&X-Amz-Security-Token=IQoJb3JpZ2luX2VjECEaCWV1LXdlc3QtMSJHMEUCIBGkXIm2gtVI7lYZK58iDnyKYsj%2FHUCRFqIKCrdAX24ZAiEAl1rgU9gcb8Gy29q0GcV0eelzgwaknOrd9UH7lKZsYugqwQUI6v%2F%2F%2F%2F%2F%2F%2F%2F%2F%2FARAFGgwyNzM1NzAxOTU0MzMiDGrg98opHDaY0S0NySqVBYuYPuuNJlMs1pfSbTe9V8uPVht2RBHy8QhjLibe%2FmuOuUGRPKe80Qyxko7dtW%2F07Zkvx%2Fmg9xm7QXoJ84R5Y0I7MakPHtWBxoDFAcjw1MN7ctS5bfYziRXp74RWcSUtw%2BW%2FJAbnJWlPTt%2BnvzhLFJzDwQGEunm2kesbk1mVApb8G3ZX%2FkIFsAduHFLDBW%2FHVxHFU3MM2IBXI%2BhGignAZKkW3GmGy3nRpMAMGwtnjC82vQ3K1IXDvh7KHVJgy1UZKoMpFRfv26rVzxm4ZstDcBrfHUmdWZyIDalCoKBGS1I7U7%2FCsuOCMcA%2B3RbjRslxhDODRZVo6%2Bk3KzaPNMug5Mb0rMg%2BnN%2F%2B2h2GP26il5IxtnFpXaPtcOkgbeXjLpOMWI7eGzVlNjnrJJmJgXhSajGuYr0IlsBXDUPNcwxy7LSvwUY2YzRp0sN9pgyStzc2sYRhSyKpr1HS9326sYnX5OkLPjKYKC8dNuywJGW6pMFvUAKtqgfDA5m1kUgne8NzvHsb%2FbuQEZcDkOFjxGHLC6E%2B9iBKhVIjN2sqiJfvg5vblL%2BRadLkgWgVkkiqEu1TUskEV7fHnce799fVbV9MYlGT9zpCKLXy3Vz8vreyiO%2B3Wab%2BkctKJ%2FsqOz1euSY6rbsexGtGrW8588MQ3o795wGw%2B7ZSGvuHrb7Sp5OfXQnTnRGrFmhC6rBk001vRdBkpWPpMIqAP1yy8sBBzCu3Ls33i7VlC%2B6rl0Ydoe6fJrsME9ErCKEpfsac88ecQEVMz4kzkZXlxbQJ6IjYVzngX5I6hfA2OGxmOeC3yRghWKGse5DP6s2d%2FEM0Qs2SaRyjomcWJEcNA7f0hu%2FE%2FtICM1LKLNFvuzQ92a25OIDt%2FDZiJg7Fluswg4netAY6sQGr94ST92PTqUzSYeMceqsOTj1ahj3XWqhCNhMaNkmxie4He7qswUXqUmf9sGOE2LXvIAeWJob%2B5mbqx6ZYAHHL58pt2gDPa51LZA1ESNr1SqeDp0XhadPFLGIM%2B01mAtaXcSxIDkZHHcJigPSxJjAka6CU34O9VhWNJu9U%2FgQYQR7XDrLdNbIhzH%2B95Ho29d%2BBw5Oj%2F07jwyTgpx31bE%2FjphmGhM6HM1UIpx3uw2t4UlM%3D&X-Amz-Algorithm=AWS4-HMAC-SHA256&X-Amz-Credential=ASIAT7MQN47U3LYVJYH5%2F20240717%2Feu-west-1%2Fs3%2Faws4_request&X-Amz-Date=20240717T093020Z&X-Amz-SignedHeaders=host&X-Amz-Expires=900&X-Amz-Signature=30149beaa24c2fbe53313be92c805845b0679372e4237bc973fd4ca70167af9c)
3) Use technology to communicate with family and friends if you cannot see them in person.