4 Types of Social Support

Why is it important to understand different types of social support?

Understanding the structure and types of social support around you can be helpful in many different situations. For example, if a client who is depressed comes to me and claims that they don't have any social network at all, or vice versa, a client says that they have many friends, but still feel lonely as if something important is missing, I talk to them about four types of social support:

• Practical - when there are people around who can provide you with tangible help - move house, fix your computer or bring medication when you are sick.
• Informational - when there are people you can turn to for advice, who can inform you about a recent book or tell you about an interesting topic that makes you think.
• Emotional - you have someone to whom you can show who you really are, who accepts you and understands you and shows empathy when you need it.
• Companionship - there are people around with whom you can go to the movies, play sports or do some other fun activities together.

Understanding that there are different types of social support can help us to see where we may have ignored support we already have, or conversely, to understand what types of support we need to develop. You might also want to start asking for a specific type of support you feel you're lacking. For example, research on couples suggests support works best when it fits what the person is actually asking for - emotional support when someone is disclosing feelings, practical or informational support when someone wants solutions. Mismatch is what tends to go wrong. So if what you want is to be heard rather than fixed, it is worth saying so.