5 Mental Health Benefits of Strong Friendships
July 23, 2024
Friendship Day is celebrated around the world with many unique traditions, from making handmade jewellery for friends to sending heartfelt messages on cards. International Friendship Day will take place on July 30th, 2024, offering us an opportunity to express gratitude to our friends and reflect on the positive impact good friends have on our mental health and well-being.
Research shows that genuine adult friendships that offer social support and companionship are a strong predictor of well-being and can protect against mental health conditions like anxiety and depression. Overall, genuine friendship positively impacts us throughout our lifetime. (Pezirkianidis, C., et al., Frontiers in Psychology, Vol. 14, 2023; Blieszner, R., et al., Innovation in Aging, Vol. 3, No. 1, 2019).
To celebrate the upcoming Friendship Day, let’s explore five more Mental Health benefits of having strong friendships:
Friends act as our support system in challenging times.
Often, when we encounter challenging times, it can be difficult for us to manage our thoughts and feelings. Friends help us stay grounded and navigate our worries by listening to us or helping us approach a situation from different perspectives. Simply having a supportive friend in hard times can help us manage our ups and downs better.
Friends help create a sense of belonging
Having a sense of belonging is fundamental to human beings. Having friends offers a sense of community, and helps us feel confident, cared for and loved. This sense of belonging that friendship brings ultimately helps increase our self-worth.
Friends can help reduce stress.
Good friends can offer different perspectives, helping us navigate our problems through different approaches rather than indulging in negative coping mechanisms. A study shows that talking with a supportive friend reduces blood pressure reactivity compared to a friend with whom one is conflicted. (Holt-Lunstad, J., et al., Annals of Behavioral Medicine, Vol. 33, No. 3, 2007)
Friends help improve self-confidence
In times when we feel low about ourselves due to specific life events, friends can help by providing reassurance and reminding us of times we have overcome hurdles and made it through. Having good friends who bring out the best in us can help boost our self-confidence and persuade us to face challenges.
Good friends encourage good change.
It’s common for humans to stay within their comfort zone. However, change and growth occur when good friends encourage you to step outside of your comfort zone and experience change and growth. In having conversations, sharing perspectives, and trying out different activities, friendships help us learn essential life skills we might not have learned on our own. These life skills, such as adaptability, can help us navigate life situations.
Friendships require genuine effort from everyone involved, and in light of International Friendship Day, here are 5 ways to ensure you’re being a good friend:
Listen attentively
Most of us want someone to hear us out or understand us. Your friends aren’t any different. Be a good friend by being a good listener. Acknowledge their experiences and let them talk without deflecting or invalidating their experience even if you don’t necessarily agree.
Make time to meet up with your friends
Life can get busy and sometimes in the chaos of life, we can forget to make time to meet up with friends. It’s important to keep in touch with friends so none of us feel isolated. You can stay in touch by finding an activity you both like or by stepping out of your comfort zones and taking up a new activity together.
Be trustworthy
Trust is the foundation of most relationships. Friendship requires genuine trust to be able to thrive and create a sense of reliability. To be a good friend, make sure to honour promises and safeguard private information that your friend shares with you.
Show kindness
It’s hard to know what people are going through in their lives. It’s important to be kind to your friends, even if they are not vocal about their struggles. Celebrate their milestones like birthdays or achievements to make them feel special and loved.
Be there in times of need
All of us go through times when we need a shoulder to cry on. Similarly, when your friends go through a difficult period, offer them your support or a listening ear which can help strengthen your bond and make them feel cared for. A friend in need is a friend indeed!
This International Friendship Day, take a moment to celebrate and let your friends know how grateful you are for their positive influence on your mental well-being. A happy, healthy life is largely dependent on having strong friendships that provide emotional support, help relieve stress, and improve general well-being.
By Fairooz Zaima
The nature of friendship There is no specific way to define what a ‘friendship’ is. Sometimes it’s a connection with the person you grew up with, or a group that shares your interests. But friendship also starts with a casual chat at work, a neighbour waving hello, or a familiar face you meet every day on the way home. That’s the beauty of it — there are no boundaries or limits to how friendships are formed. Navigating life changes is hard — but you don’t have to do it alone We’ve all gone through big life changes like moving somewhere new, starting over, or facing tough events. In fact, getting through those times on our own isn’t easy. Entering a new stage can ignite the feelings of loneliness and anxiety. That’s where good friends come in: they can be a real mental buffer against our negative emotions. Friendships offer emotional support by helping you feel truly seen and connected. They create a sense of belonging and strengthen your emotional resilience. Still, maintaining a friendship that stands the test of time and distance isn’t always easy. Communication with friends often gets disrupted as we move through unexpected changes. Sometimes, just one honest and open conversation is all it takes to rebuild the bridge — to remind each other that we’re still here, still listening. A good friend can validate your feelings, empower and inspire you to take steps. Friendships: the first relationship that shapes the rest Friendships are one of the first relationships we get to choose for ourselves. Spending time with people who are good for our developmental health is matter, as they play a huge role in shaping how we connect with others. Through friendship, we learn how to trust, how to support, and how to be present — lessons that carry into every other relationship we build. On this International Friendship Day, let’s take a moment to reflect on the power of friendship in supporting mental well-being and emotion, especially during life’s most challenging moments. Whether it’s a message, a call, or a quiet thank-you, let your friends and the person you care know how much they’ve mattered on your journey. Written by Anne Bui and Kylie Nguyen
On this year's World Infant, Child and Adolescent Mental Health Day, we explore the importance of early intervention and seeking the right support for the youngest people in our society.
The 7th of April brings around World Mental Health Day once again! Health is a broad topic that can be overwhelming and intimidating to many people, making it seem hard to maintain on top of your work, social life, and family duties. However, there are 5 healthy habits you can incorporate into your daily routine to maintain a healthy lifestyle. Sleep like it’s a priority! Health and sleep go hand in hand, and to feel your best you need to ensure you get a good night’s sleep. A good night’s sleep allows your body to rest and recharge for the following day, boosting both your physical and mental health. To ensure your get a good night’s rest, consider creating a sleep pattern where you go to sleep and wake up at the same every day. While it’s tempting to scroll on your phone or binge watch TV, sticking to a sleep routine helps your body get into a pattern and boosts your mood. Prep like a meal master Healthy meals are time consuming to make, and takeout often feels like the easiest solution after a long day’s work. This is great occasionally; however, they do lack the nutrients your body needs which is where meal prepping comes in! Meal prepping just once a week allows you to keep on track of eating healthy lunches and dinners, boosting both your physical and mental wellbeing, as a balanced diet is linked to improving mood and boosting energy. Sweat in snippets! A full body workout everyday can be overwhelming, but the trick is not to focus on getting in a 2-hour workout every day! Instead aim for 10 minutes here and there, like walking on your lunch breaks or stretching in between work tasks. Even wearing ankle weights while cooking will allow you to be exercising while doing daily tasks! Working out in small bursts is a good way to maintain your physical health and is also seen to boost your mood. Drink up buttercup! Aim to drink a litre of water a day. It’s a simple task that’s easy to forget, but a simple trick is to take a sip every time you pick up your phone. This creates a habit of drinking water every time you’re scrolling on TikTok or texting someone and will help you reach your hydration goal. It’s important to drink water as it helps maintain a healthy body and maintain its functions, so it’s time to drink up buttercup! Pause and breathe If you’re busy working all day, it’s easy to forget to check in with yourself. To solve this problem, set health breaks on your phone that will remind you every few hours. Take just 5 minutes to step away - go for a quick walk or pause to breathe and recharge. It’s a simple way to look after your wellbeing throughout the day and get you moving a little bit, so you’re not stuck in same spot all day. Good Wellbeing Starts Today With such a busy schedule, maintaining your health can be an afterthought. However, these 5 healthy habits aim to incorporate looking after one’s physical and mental health into your daily routine. Download the Supportive Mind app to prioritise your wellbeing In today’s fast-paced world, finding time for yourself can be tough. The Supportive Mind is here to change that. With features designed to help you stay active, track your mood, and access personalised wellness resources, our app is the perfect companion to ensure your mental and physical health come first. Download today: https://www.mhfa.org.au/supportive-mind By Jamie Speight
