Social networks are great allies when it comes to meeting people and expanding the social circle. In addition, it should be noted that during the period of confinement due to covid-19, they became essential tools to preserve ties. We know that nowadays, that distances can be reduced with just a call or a message via chat.
Did you know that research discovered how many friends you really need?
In fact, experts suggest that the size of a person’s online network may not have a significant impact on their well-being. And in relation to this, they have stated that as a consequence of the pandemic, various friendships have broken down, however, they announced that through the online connection they were able to strengthen it.
As announced by Dr. Franco: “Different people bring out different parts of us. So when you have a larger group of friends, you get to experience this side of you that loves golf, and this side of you that loves cars, and this side of you that loves flowers. If you feel like your identity has shrunk or you don’t feel like yourself, that could indicate that you need different kinds of friends.”
On the other hand, the specialist emphasized the following: “Making friends in adulthood is not always easy. Research shows that people struggle with it because they find it hard to trust new people and because they’re simply short on time. For those reasons, it’s often easier to start by rekindling old relationships that have fizzled out,” he said.
Of course, the sayings are precise and accurate. How many times do we stop seeing our friends due to lack of time? The truth is that solid ties help us make better decisions, develop affectively in society, are great life partners and encourage us to be better people. They are a decisive factor in our well-being!
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FRIENDSHIP: AN INCREASINGLY NECESSARY LINK!
Remember that we are social beings and constantly interact and experience emotional contact. A fundamental aspect of friendship is that we have the possibility of choosing and building them reciprocally, this is key to practicing trust, affection, loyalty and respect to mention a few values.
did you know that in USA friendships have ceased to be genuine? As they demonstrated, it accelerated during the pandemic. A survey showed that 3% of the inhabitants did not have close friends, then in 2021, the margin increased and placed it at 12%. Post-pandemic at least 13% of women and 8% of men aged 30-49 said they had lost contact with most of their friends.
between three and six close friends may be the sweet spot! The experts announced it!
Julianne Holt-Lunstad professor of psychology and neuroscience at the brigham young university in Utahrevealed that loneliness is as harmful to physical health as smoking 15 cigarettes a day.
And he pointed out that the “ideal” number of friends is important: “Just as we have guidelines and recommendations on the number of hours we sleep and how physically active we are, this is relevant to health,” he said.
Fortunately, there are several benefits. Having good friends promotes physical and mental stimulation! Also, it increases the sense of belonging and forges our personality. They are great shock absorbers to face duels and difficult moments, among other extraordinary qualities.
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Jeffrey Halla professor of communication studies at the University of Kansas said: “If your goal is simply to mitigate the damaging impact loneliness can have on your health, the most important thing is to have at least one important person in your life, whether it’s a partner, parent, friend, or someone else.”
And he pointed out: “Whoever wants to have a more meaningful life, one in which you feel united and connected with others, more friends are better.”
To conclude, we realize that the various studies emphasize the importance of consolidating interpersonal relationships. In fact, a 2016 study found that people who have six or more friends improved their health throughout their lives.
Likewise, during 2020, Suzanne Degges-Whiteprofessor and director of the Department of Counseling and Higher Education from Northern Illinois Universityfound that middle-aged women who had three or more friends tended to have higher levels of overall life satisfaction.