The Health Benefits of Friendships
The Health Benefits of Friendships
Human beings are naturally social. We crave interaction, connection, and belonging. The benefits of relationships, especially friendships, also have a scientific component to it. Friendships are essentially protective factors that go beyond providing social support. They protect us from symptoms of anxiety and depression, even changing the way we respond to stress. Studies have found that talking to a supportive friend may help reduce blood pressure reactivity (Holt-Lunstad, J., et al., Annals of Behavioral Medicine, Vol. 33, No. 3, 2007), and having that friend close by when we are completing a tough task can actually reduce our heart rate (Kamarck, T. W., et al., Psychosomatic Medicine, Vol. 52, No. 1, 1990). When friends share thoughts, feelings, and especially laughter, it can be hugely therapeutic. Serotonin is one of the critical hormones linked to our emotions and our mood, and laughter has been repeatedly proven to increase the flow of serotonin which helps to relax our brain’s stress response and slow down our heart rates. It is clear that stable and healthy friendships are a meaningful and healthy part of life!
https://www.apa.org/monitor/2023/06/cover-story-science-friendship
Blog Post by: Ashley Carlson, Canadian Certified Counsellor with Wildflowers
