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=IQoJb3JpZ2luX2VjEB8aCWV1LXdlc3QtMSJGMEQCICiXaMu89ZTN1X6LHLq4skhchySgmdAqVQP3Y0kQYVNjAiB1NlEbK68gMPMY5GPHMqNzR3vyD%2BN1hvwSjoGtjbjwhirCBQjo%2F%2F%2F%2F%2F%2F%2F%2F%2F%2F8BEAUaDDI3MzU3MDE5NTQzMyIMkg0a1KeTKzSb1iauKpYFWOI%2FxQ7ujmOAMwNEHPKmdq3o%2FUhCyz5SNntj1CUz%2By8px4cS9Xpfq2h3xRdeTW6ZUKJel59AT9QfjGD1FhVAzMOzRZKXbQSf62KzTER1FG9URy5l8FXL6n1UjhZKjdi0vCJMU%2B8FYDB670nf1Zig03zV%2FJxEDQcrWAuWsHhB83KReHma%2BXz5AwUsQaIJP897LyV7ek9qTUkvIVAOBBSVT3GD5h34itGjvNRva2%2FRFRrpQnVRSauNQPFgNMEHs9KOrua7dWzK0c%2FNuxocMbt%2FHu%2BjJEgx0p2oxhHNbN%2FPx8ormVtMpq1LGYHKYBAi3Oe0KPAj2SPBF3T7zyFed5%2BwLJAx4iZim8tfA%2BAZfejlbMeAiU4Aci%2F7eggs9MB8FLGkrizl8JU3Ek4F1pBgyYTebwtpuUso31xoBC%2BkuZr7cY73fveawhMxdTF48kMDN%2BSX6uWjFy5EixsL3tBpnXkjSKdvkXHY%2FlwdMxi0AyF1Gz5d9oKN0gyA0FpdkjQz2Ik2yRbajNdiIIY4VNEgDmB8OEtppwwBk6hf5MOGQnSCKGFhgYVPYeAleTy9%2FoCymeKiEC6VW2s4SazJOXXxyqIjF6MVf2m5FrZUTJevwGJMyIKP2Jho%2BJ8VfBl5wsWHP%2BYK1XXvEgdNrJBSreR9CR%2Bzm%2FWmTRhL6jwYKOw9keg%2BFamlbxxUbS2w%2BvNgidByUBwmRKzqSas3%2ByY2bgiNNuaIdTC5D6xObA3Wq7i2Vo45C9B013urRAdgnx57vL6kRaO6nV5QVNu0Pq2RAOdHlkMHwV8pUq6wVHCRvm2cSYrw2MTIJHNhk8IaltvtH90WC6ClU3Na%2BYU7AnYLznz70PDtMj6Sb%2FUGstv6jeL%2BbIcZw2BOlR6%2BaHEwntXdtAY6sgGGPMwaPXleuxbMPEzxvBT3POvB2CUNyxC3J%2BjyBvc%2Faf8mrtNsiPOuVT0WqTkjIA%2BfPwMBY50v%2FGLVhCI40EQy43sy4J55nmkMvcl8BjxEGmfXPP8UC0RcxGe7OgJuLaxxsqs9KYtpprMezaZ%2BHYwCjvQuGWhcptSfBMaHUtTcGc5idjm%2F8mATWgBFZmE9tzG1NCjjuTJmbNjGj38d4ffi4u%2Bc%2FgSiHu88chIBHMYaJKXk&X-Amz-Algorithm=AWS4-HMAC-SHA256&X-Amz-Credential=ASIAT7MQN47U6KBEOTDK%2F20240717%2Feu-west-1%2Fs3%2Faws4_request&X-Amz-Date=20240717T065905Z&X-Amz-SignedHeaders=host&X-Amz-Expires=900&X-Amz-Signature=f4a7f9a876a1587b70df781b1da0abf40d50444fb66b19784c7220d18ed8e315)
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=IQoJb3JpZ2luX2VjEB8aCWV1LXdlc3QtMSJGMEQCICiXaMu89ZTN1X6LHLq4skhchySgmdAqVQP3Y0kQYVNjAiB1NlEbK68gMPMY5GPHMqNzR3vyD%2BN1hvwSjoGtjbjwhirCBQjo%2F%2F%2F%2F%2F%2F%2F%2F%2F%2F8BEAUaDDI3MzU3MDE5NTQzMyIMkg0a1KeTKzSb1iauKpYFWOI%2FxQ7ujmOAMwNEHPKmdq3o%2FUhCyz5SNntj1CUz%2By8px4cS9Xpfq2h3xRdeTW6ZUKJel59AT9QfjGD1FhVAzMOzRZKXbQSf62KzTER1FG9URy5l8FXL6n1UjhZKjdi0vCJMU%2B8FYDB670nf1Zig03zV%2FJxEDQcrWAuWsHhB83KReHma%2BXz5AwUsQaIJP897LyV7ek9qTUkvIVAOBBSVT3GD5h34itGjvNRva2%2FRFRrpQnVRSauNQPFgNMEHs9KOrua7dWzK0c%2FNuxocMbt%2FHu%2BjJEgx0p2oxhHNbN%2FPx8ormVtMpq1LGYHKYBAi3Oe0KPAj2SPBF3T7zyFed5%2BwLJAx4iZim8tfA%2BAZfejlbMeAiU4Aci%2F7eggs9MB8FLGkrizl8JU3Ek4F1pBgyYTebwtpuUso31xoBC%2BkuZr7cY73fveawhMxdTF48kMDN%2BSX6uWjFy5EixsL3tBpnXkjSKdvkXHY%2FlwdMxi0AyF1Gz5d9oKN0gyA0FpdkjQz2Ik2yRbajNdiIIY4VNEgDmB8OEtppwwBk6hf5MOGQnSCKGFhgYVPYeAleTy9%2FoCymeKiEC6VW2s4SazJOXXxyqIjF6MVf2m5FrZUTJevwGJMyIKP2Jho%2BJ8VfBl5wsWHP%2BYK1XXvEgdNrJBSreR9CR%2Bzm%2FWmTRhL6jwYKOw9keg%2BFamlbxxUbS2w%2BvNgidByUBwmRKzqSas3%2ByY2bgiNNuaIdTC5D6xObA3Wq7i2Vo45C9B013urRAdgnx57vL6kRaO6nV5QVNu0Pq2RAOdHlkMHwV8pUq6wVHCRvm2cSYrw2MTIJHNhk8IaltvtH90WC6ClU3Na%2BYU7AnYLznz70PDtMj6Sb%2FUGstv6jeL%2BbIcZw2BOlR6%2BaHEwntXdtAY6sgGGPMwaPXleuxbMPEzxvBT3POvB2CUNyxC3J%2BjyBvc%2Faf8mrtNsiPOuVT0WqTkjIA%2BfPwMBY50v%2FGLVhCI40EQy43sy4J55nmkMvcl8BjxEGmfXPP8UC0RcxGe7OgJuLaxxsqs9KYtpprMezaZ%2BHYwCjvQuGWhcptSfBMaHUtTcGc5idjm%2F8mATWgBFZmE9tzG1NCjjuTJmbNjGj38d4ffi4u%2Bc%2FgSiHu88chIBHMYaJKXk&X-Amz-Algorithm=AWS4-HMAC-SHA256&X-Amz-Credential=ASIAT7MQN47U6KBEOTDK%2F20240717%2Feu-west-1%2Fs3%2Faws4_request&X-Amz-Date=20240717T065905Z&X-Amz-SignedHeaders=host&X-Amz-Expires=900&X-Amz-Signature=f72edb71b7f5c3ab8cdb035514c61af16b85362111dc05953fdac20e5f1c00f2)
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=IQoJb3JpZ2luX2VjEB8aCWV1LXdlc3QtMSJGMEQCICiXaMu89ZTN1X6LHLq4skhchySgmdAqVQP3Y0kQYVNjAiB1NlEbK68gMPMY5GPHMqNzR3vyD%2BN1hvwSjoGtjbjwhirCBQjo%2F%2F%2F%2F%2F%2F%2F%2F%2F%2F8BEAUaDDI3MzU3MDE5NTQzMyIMkg0a1KeTKzSb1iauKpYFWOI%2FxQ7ujmOAMwNEHPKmdq3o%2FUhCyz5SNntj1CUz%2By8px4cS9Xpfq2h3xRdeTW6ZUKJel59AT9QfjGD1FhVAzMOzRZKXbQSf62KzTER1FG9URy5l8FXL6n1UjhZKjdi0vCJMU%2B8FYDB670nf1Zig03zV%2FJxEDQcrWAuWsHhB83KReHma%2BXz5AwUsQaIJP897LyV7ek9qTUkvIVAOBBSVT3GD5h34itGjvNRva2%2FRFRrpQnVRSauNQPFgNMEHs9KOrua7dWzK0c%2FNuxocMbt%2FHu%2BjJEgx0p2oxhHNbN%2FPx8ormVtMpq1LGYHKYBAi3Oe0KPAj2SPBF3T7zyFed5%2BwLJAx4iZim8tfA%2BAZfejlbMeAiU4Aci%2F7eggs9MB8FLGkrizl8JU3Ek4F1pBgyYTebwtpuUso31xoBC%2BkuZr7cY73fveawhMxdTF48kMDN%2BSX6uWjFy5EixsL3tBpnXkjSKdvkXHY%2FlwdMxi0AyF1Gz5d9oKN0gyA0FpdkjQz2Ik2yRbajNdiIIY4VNEgDmB8OEtppwwBk6hf5MOGQnSCKGFhgYVPYeAleTy9%2FoCymeKiEC6VW2s4SazJOXXxyqIjF6MVf2m5FrZUTJevwGJMyIKP2Jho%2BJ8VfBl5wsWHP%2BYK1XXvEgdNrJBSreR9CR%2Bzm%2FWmTRhL6jwYKOw9keg%2BFamlbxxUbS2w%2BvNgidByUBwmRKzqSas3%2ByY2bgiNNuaIdTC5D6xObA3Wq7i2Vo45C9B013urRAdgnx57vL6kRaO6nV5QVNu0Pq2RAOdHlkMHwV8pUq6wVHCRvm2cSYrw2MTIJHNhk8IaltvtH90WC6ClU3Na%2BYU7AnYLznz70PDtMj6Sb%2FUGstv6jeL%2BbIcZw2BOlR6%2BaHEwntXdtAY6sgGGPMwaPXleuxbMPEzxvBT3POvB2CUNyxC3J%2BjyBvc%2Faf8mrtNsiPOuVT0WqTkjIA%2BfPwMBY50v%2FGLVhCI40EQy43sy4J55nmkMvcl8BjxEGmfXPP8UC0RcxGe7OgJuLaxxsqs9KYtpprMezaZ%2BHYwCjvQuGWhcptSfBMaHUtTcGc5idjm%2F8mATWgBFZmE9tzG1NCjjuTJmbNjGj38d4ffi4u%2Bc%2FgSiHu88chIBHMYaJKXk&X-Amz-Algorithm=AWS4-HMAC-SHA256&X-Amz-Credential=ASIAT7MQN47U6KBEOTDK%2F20240717%2Feu-west-1%2Fs3%2Faws4_request&X-Amz-Date=20240717T065905Z&X-Amz-SignedHeaders=host&X-Amz-Expires=900&X-Amz-Signature=8b606fa7d472adec89dc398f7ae5757fa5e00ed97aa4cc998db839cc93d0e7bb)
3) Use technology to communicate with family and friends if you cannot see them in person.