Second that Emotion

Dr Eddie Murphy offers some advice and tips on finding a new you in 2020 and transforming your life forever

Psychologist Dr Eddie Murphy tells you how to make the right connections to improve your physical and psychological well-being and proposes three OT 2020 challenges.

Make the right connections

Fundamentally we are social animals, we all need connection. This is my 11th year on Operation Transformation. I believe that OT breaks down isolation and loneliness and allows us to feel connected, to feel belonged as we push out on the roads with our yellow vests. Now is a good time to review your relationships and strengthen them. This is called social support.

Social support is the belief and actuality that a person is cared for, has assistance from other people and is part of a supportive group e.g. family, friends, neighbours, co-workers and community. In addition pets can provide social support! With this support comes friendship, practical and emotional support. Our leaders will support each other in a unique way.

Support brings warmth and nurture. Join your local walking group. These are the fundamental building blocks to us growing and maturing in an emotionally healthy way. They are essential to mental fitness and resilience. When it comes to mental health, too often we talk about the presence or absence of mental illness, but we need to be more proactive and promote our own mental fitness and feeling connected is a fundamental part in your mental fitness regime.

Psychological wellbeing

Psychological research has shown that having good levels of social support has distinct health benefits – both physical and emotional. For example, social support has been demonstrated to increase psychological well-being in the workplace and in response to significant life events, to reduce anxiety and depression and to promote psychological adjustment in conditions including rheumatoid, arthritis, cancer, stroke, and coronary artery disease. Indeed individuals with low social support report more symptoms of depression and anxiety than do people with high social support.

Physical wellbeing

Social support has been shown to be linked to positive physical health outcomes in individuals. It is interesting to know that a higher rate of social support is linked with faster recovery from coronary artery surgery and predicts less clogging of the arteries (atherosclerosis) and can slow the progression of an already diagnosed cardiovascular disease.