SOCIALISING AND ITS IMPACT ON MENTAL HEALTH

Abstract

The COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted the important role socialization plays in mental health, highlighting the necessity for more thorough research in this area. The current study explored into how different socialization modalities, such as in-person and online interactions, affect people's mental health. Twenty adults in Delhi with a range of demographic backgrounds took part in semi-structured interviews using purposive sampling. Eight major themes emerged from the thematic analysis; how to understand socialization; what people prefer to socialize in person versus online; how socializing patterns have changed because of external factors like the pandemic; what constitutes mental health; how social interactions affect mental well-being; how social connections contribute to mental health; negative experiences in social interactions; and coping mechanisms. The significance of supporting social networks in reducing loneliness and promoting mental health is highlighted by the findings.