The role and impact of social relationships upon well-being reported by mental health service users: A qualitative study

Abstract

A number of quantitative studies of people with severe mental illness show that, as with the general population, supportive social relationships are associated with well-being but the nature and causation of this association are unclear. To enhance services' contribution to the social support needs of their clients, this study explores the association qualitatively from the perspective of the lived experience of 27 mental health service users. Social contacts were reported to be both protective and damaging to mental health and it was common for close social relationships in particular to be both supportive and harmful. Loneliness was reported to be a problem, and almost all social contact was valued and perceived as better than none at all. Mental health problems led to changes in network composition and lack of balance in relationships, and this was sometimes difficult to reverse. Clinical implications of the findings are discussed.