Why Are Friends Good For Us?
Human beings like to make friends, for the most part. Some of us love having lots of different friends from all walks of life, and others prefer having a small number of friends, or maybe just one or two, to whom we can turn when we need them. A bond of friendship truly is one of the strongest of bonds and can often last a lifetime. Yet although we know that it’s good to have friends, why are friends good for us? Here are some of the reasons.
Less Stress
Life can be very stressful at times, and if we had no one to talk to about our problems, then we could very easily become clinically stressed, or depressed – or both. Keeping it all bottled up is, we are told, not a good thing, and it’s true; being too stressed can cause ulcers, heart conditions, type II diabetes, obesity, lack of sleep, mental health issues, high blood pressure, and more.
When we have good friends around us, we can ‘offload’ some of our stress. We can talk about what is making us feel uncomfortable, worried, or unwell, and we might even get some advice in return. If advice isn’t forthcoming, that’s not a problem; the very act of talking about your problems can make them seem less of an issue.
Get Support To Make Hard Decisions
We have to make a multitude of decisions every day, and some are much bigger than others. Some are life-changing. Others won’t really make a difference one way or another. Some are easy to make alone, and others need a helping hand.
When difficult decisions need to be made, friends can be invaluable. They may not be able to make the decision for us, depending on what it is – life-changing decisions such as moving house, changing careers, or starting a family can only really be a decision made by the person going through it – but friends can offer support when it comes to making the decision, and be there afterward to help make sure you are okay.
Friends Make You Happy
Of course, one of the most obvious ways that friends are good for us is that they make us feel happy. We smile when we see them or talk to them, and we can share good memories with them too, such as the time you visited New Beauty together, or when you went to a great party, or anything else. Being happy is crucial in order to have a healthy life – it balances our hormones and means we have less of the stress hormone, cortisol, in our bodies. Instead, we are releasing more oxytocin which is a hormone specially designed to make us feel happy.
When you are happy, you are more able to focus on what is important in life, and you will be more productive. Plus, being happy means your life, in general, is better; we do more and make the most of the time we have – and that comes from having friends.
