The role of social support has probably been around since the dawn of human history, but it is only relatively recently that it has become the subject of scientific research. The reason for the interest in social support is based on observations that people who are surrounded by a large family, have many friends and belong to various organisations enjoy better health and can cope better with difficult and stressful situations.
Z. Jaworowska - Obłój and B. Skuza (1986) cite studies that conclude on the stress-neutralising effect of social support. As an example, see de Araujo (1978), who investigated the relationship between experienced stress, social support and the dose of medication required to control asthma symptoms. The highest daily dose of adrenocorticosteroids was required in those patients who, having low social support, experienced severe stress. In contrast, a study by Nuckols (1979) showed that women who experienced multiple stressful events before and during pregnancy and had low social support had three times more health complications than women receiving high social support during similar experiences.
Advocates of a different view of the relationship between social support and health postulate the existence of a so-called main effect. They assume that support as an indicator of an individual's integration into the environment is an independent factor influencing health. An individual who is well embedded in a supportive environment should have a better psycho-physical condition than an individual who does not experience support, regardless of the level of stress. Low levels of support are considered to be one of the causes of disorders and can therefore be a harbinger of illness.
However, regardless of the hypothesis adopted, it can be assumed with a high degree of certainty that the social support we experience from our family, friends and co-workers has a significant impact on our psycho-physical condition, which is further testimony to the social nature of man.
