
Providing community support this ANZAC Day
In the lead up to ANZAC Day, Mates4Mates has been hosting social connection activities around Australia, providing community support for local veterans and family members.
It’s common for people to feel socially isolated at times, not enjoying going out and sometimes wanting to avoid people. But is it important to be social? The answer is yes! Too much isolation is harmful, and research has shown that having social connection is as important to health as diet and exercise.
There has been a lot of research into this area and while more research is still needed, there are many benefits that have been found so far:
People are increasingly interacting with one another over phones and social media, however face-to-face social connections have been shown to have the best outcome for health and wellbeing. Research into the brain shows that interacting face-to-face with people releases brain hormones (oxytocin and dopamine) which increases mood, lowers pain levels and decreases other hormones (cortisol) which lowers stress.
You can increase your social connection by dropping into your local Mates4Mates Family Recovery Centre or joining one of our social activities.
Find out more If any content in this article resonates with you and you’d like to speak with someone at Mates4Mates about seeking support, contact us to find out more about our services. All Mates4Mates services are available for current and ex-serving Australian Defence Force members with physical injuries or mental health issues, and their families.
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In the lead up to ANZAC Day, Mates4Mates has been hosting social connection activities around Australia, providing community support for local veterans and family members.
The Military-Civilian Adjustment and Reintegration Measure (M-CARM) is designed to provide early support for veterans, helping them to transition in a healthy way.
Neurological rehabilitation (neuro rehab) is a specialised form of physical therapy, designed to help individuals recover, maintain, and improve their physical, cognitive, and emotional abilities following an injury or condition that affects their nervous system.