We all crave friendships. After all, humans are social animals and our connections with others define much of our lives.
Friends are people with whom we share our joys, sorrows, and countless everyday experiences. Research consistently shows that having friends is important for our mental and physical health. In particular, studies show that people who have friends have higher overall life satisfaction and are less likely to suffer from depression and other mental health disorders Choi et al. So why is having friends important to our mental health? When we spend quality time with friends and share our thoughts and emotions with them, our brains and bodies experience significant changes.
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In fact, engaging in social interactions with friends activates specific parts of the brain that are involved in pleasure, learning, and stress reduction. As a result, our blood sugar levels decrease, our bodies enter a physiologically calm and secure state and we can handle stress more effectively. This biochemical reaction has a positive impact on our overall health. Studies show that talking with a supportive friend with whom we can relax and express our emotions helps us effectively handle stress.
On the other hand, interactions with ambivalent friends β those who can be supportive at times but lead to feelings of uncertainty other times β may not offer the same stress-reducing benefits and even increase your stress hormones or blood sugar levels Holt-Lunstad et al. Interestingly, friendships have a lot in common with romantic relationships. In terms of their impact on our mental health.
Both types of relationships involve strong emotional bonds and provide emotional support. Similar to intimate relationships, friendships involve chemistry, attachments, and intimacy. Consequently, friendships can also impact our psychological well-being. Friendships come with numerous empirically proven benefits for our mental health.
