They went through fire, water and copper pipes with us. Helped out in hopeless situations and stayed close. Close friends can not only brighten up our lives and support in difficult moments. By their very presence, they improve our health.
If you are lucky and have good, loyal friends, take care of them. And if there are none yet, remember the advice of the wise man: the best way to find a friend is to become one. How do people who are close in spirit improve their lives?
1. Reduce stress levels
This conclusion was made by psychology professor William Bukowski from Concordia University (Canada)1. He studied the behavior and condition of more than 100 schoolchildren. And he found that during stressful periods, such as during exams, children who prepared for tests alone, the level of the stress hormone cortisol was much higher than normal. But for those who coped with difficulties in the company of friends, cortisol was significantly reduced. Therefore, you should not isolate yourself from loved ones in difficult life situations. By sharing them with friends, you will find a way out faster.
2. Keep us healthy
For example, they help in the fight against depression. Psychologists from Canada are sure of this. They did a study2 groups of patients who were diagnosed with depression and increased anxiety. Patients were offered to join a circle of embroidery, yoga, drawing, group sports or attend group meetings with a psychologist.
A month later, those who went «for show» and did not make friends in the classroom, the risk of prolonged depression increased by 50%. In contrast, patients who began to consider themselves part of the team felt better within a month.
The more friends we have, the more easily we endure diseases.
Having close friends can reduce the occurrence of dementia, as psychologist Bryan James and his team from Chicago have proven.
And Janice Kiecolt-Glaser of the Ohio Medical University (USA) found that availabilityfriends can boost immunity. She studied 276 adults aged 18 to 55. Each of the study participants was given drops in the nose with a cold virus, and then all participants in the experiment were placed in a five-day quarantine.
In patients who, before the study, indicated in the questionnaire that they had many friends and acquaintances, the symptoms were minor and the disease was mild. And vice versa. Loners struggled with the virus longer. The psychologist attributes this to the fact that regular communication with a large number of people increases the body’s resistance to stress.
3. Extend life
Clinical psychologist Margaret Gibbs is convinced of this. “Friends are a good influence on us,” explains Gibbs, “together it is much easier to give up bad habits and start good ones. By exercising with a friend, you will be less likely to miss classes. The older we get, the more important friendly support. Only she can save from isolation and depression after the loss of a partner.
Of course, it is not so much the quantity that matters, but the quality of friends. If you have 950 friends on Facebook (an extremist organization banned in Russia), this does not mean that all of them are capable of making your life richer and happier. All of the above applies to close friends with whom you have a truly trusting relationship.
And finally, one more piece of advice from Margaret Gibbs: do not cut ties with friends who have moved to another city or country. Margaret Gibbs assures that at least a couple of calls or letters a month are enough to maintain a relationship. Although modern technology allows you to stay in touch 24 hours a day. Therefore, share pictures on social networks, discuss problems in instant messengers and do not lose each other.
1 R. Adams, «The presence of a best friend buffers the effects of negative experiences», Developmental Psychology, Nov 2011.
2 A. Haslam, CIFAR’s Social Interactions, Identity & Well-Being (SIIWB) program, 2014.
3 B. D. James, «Journal of the International Neuropsychological Society», November 2011.