“Social Connections: The Sweet and the Bitter” by Dr. Nathan DeWall

Most people crave social acceptance. Like a sweet snack, social acceptance is pleasant, rewarding, and, in moderate amounts, associated with good health. Social rejection, in contrast, thwarts the fundamental need for positive and lasting relationships, which strikes at the core of well-being. Thus, social connections can be both a sweet blessing when others accept us and a bitter curse when others reject us. This talk discusses why social acceptance is sweet, why social rejection is bitter, and how people can cope with the pain of rejection—making lemonade out of lemons.