“I need to be around people, even though it's not easy at times. You get out of your own head that way.”
Overview
Being part of a community can have a positive effect on mental health and emotional wellbeing. Community involvement provides a sense of belonging and social connectedness. It can also offer extra meaning and purpose to everyday life.
Communities can exist or be created from a shared location, hobbies, lived experiences and backgrounds, or a common cause. For many people, communicating with others – through online forums, social media, or in person – can help them to have a healthier mindset, improved self-worth, and greater enjoyment of life.
Around one-third of Australian adults are not involved in any social or community groups. Having people to talk to and depend on, and making new connections through hobbies or a social group can help reduce the risk of mental illness.
There are many activities that can help increase your sense of belonging. Learning a language or martial art, volunteering, or joining a dancing group are a few options. As a first step, you can find out what meetups are taking place in your local centres, and take it forward from there.
We have a few resources to help you get started. We also have pages on social connectedness, hobbies, and more.
A closer look
Next steps
You might find online and phone-based mental health resources helpful. Some suggestions are below. You can find more with our Search tool (opens in a new tab).