Friendships and Social Well-Being

Let me re-iterate that title: Friendships and their Long-Lasting Impact on Social, Mental, and Physical Well-Being. There is no doubt about how friendships leave the deepest imprints on our personalities, happiness, and success stories. Even the friends we make when we are three years old help us feel safe, loved, and joyful; likewise, our adolescent and adult friendships are anchors when we struggle through the challenging tides of life.

Dependable and close friendships are the key to both social and physical health because when we have relationships to help us, our body responds with lower levels of stress and lower distress on our heart health. Good friendships also ensure healthy habits, such as nutritious eating, fitness routines, and a conscious awareness of how to be fit and optimize our lifestyles.

Talking to a friend and giving them the trust of a confidant provides us with a safe space to share our fears, doubts, and frustrations. This emotional safety helps us recover from a bad day, a bad relationship, and the difficult consequences of our choices. These intimate conversations help us discover our inner dreams and resolve our inner demons. Our true friends help us with their unconditional encouragement to improve, enhance and not give up on ourselves. They teach us how to believe in ourselves. This faith in friendships lays the foundation for growing self-esteem, self-confidence, and self-worth.

Close friendships also serve as the most important factor in thriving in school and at the workplace. Both of these environments are often spaces of competition, where moral and emotional support can make or break your career.