The Value of Social Contacts

Abstract

Szasz (1974) went overboard in proclaiming mental illness to be a myth—a mere metaphor for bodily illness. Burgeoning neurobiological research and increasingly effective somatic treatments attest to the physical basis of severe mental disorders and the indispensability of the psychopathological perspective. But Szasz was right in advocating that we focus on problems in living, a purview consistent with the more recent rehabilitative approach in psychiatry (Munich and Lang 1993). Moreover, as Beal and her colleagues reiterate throughout their article, problems in living that psychiatric patients face are problems for us all, although many of us do not have the misfortune to be hampered by severe psychopathology. Beal and colleagues’ work dovetails with the psychoeducational approach we’ve developed at The Menninger Clinic to facilitate patients’ involvement in supportive social networks. We find it useful to make a distinction between friendships and social contacts. From our perspective, Beal and colleagues’ research makes a significant contribution in articulating the importance of social contacts for persons struggling with serious mental illnesses. Our commentary merely amplifies this point in a different context. First, we describe the evolution of our psychoeducational group, which is intended to augment other rehabilitative interventions such as social skills and assertiveness training. Second, we define the boundaries of social contacts. Third, we summarize the benefits, problems, and limitations associated with these relationships. We conclude by commenting on the relation between social interactions and hope, a connection Beal and colleagues note throughout their article.