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During difficult situations, having the support of the people around you can have a big impact on the way that you process your emotions, the stress from them, and your overall well-being. The stress-buffering hypothesis refers to the perceived availability of social support, which is assumed to eliminate or weaken the negative relationship between perceived stress as a result of a chronic condition of health and quality of life (Cohen & McKay, 1984). Research has found that having a support system can even help relieve both physical and mental stress of patients and caregivers dealing with dementia, Alzheimer’s disease, and other forms of diseases (Bennett et al.,2006). The idea is that having a good support system can become kind of like a protective layer against the negative effects that stress can have on us. 

   In my personal experience, having people around you that truly care, support you and are ready to uplift you has been vital to my mental health during a difficult and stressful process. During the pandemic, it was no secret that everybody was having a hard time and we all struggled with intense emotions and, in my case, all the worry and uncertainty, would have taken an emotional toll on me if it wasn’t for the spaces that my church created for everybody to connect. Being able to express my worries, doubts, and fears during such a difficult time with other people allows me to create a rhythm in my emotions. I learn that the best way to manage emotions during a difficult situation is by creating a rhythm rather than balancing them. When you are trying to balance something, you might make the mistake of trying to hold on to too many things at the same time, but when you create a rhythm, you allow yourself to take the time to feel the emotions, but also focus on finding healthy ways to move on.