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George Herbert Mead said that humans are "talked into" humanity. He meant that we gain personal identity as we communicate with others. In the earliest years of our lives, our parents tell us who we are:"You're intelligent." "You're so strong."
We first see ourselves through the eyes of others. So their messages form important foundations of our self-concepts. Later, we interact with teachers, friends, romantic partners and coworkers who communicate their views of us. Thus, how we see ourselves reflects the views of us that others communicate. The profound connection between identity and communication is dramatically evident in children who are deprived of human contact. Case studies of children who are isolated from others reveal that they lack a firm self-concept, and their mental and psychological development is severely hindered by lack of language. Communications with others not only affects our sense of identity, but also directly influences our physical and emotional well-being. Consistently, research shows that communicating with others promotes health, whereas social isolation is linked to stress, disease, and early death.
People who lack close friends have greater levels of anxiety and depression than people who are close to others. A group of researchers reveal scores of studies that trace the relationship between health and interaction with others. The conclusion was that social isolation is statistically as dangerous as high blood pressure, smoking and obesity. Many doctors and researchers believe that loneliness harms the immune system, making us more vulnerable to a range of miner and major illnesses.
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