First created in 2011 by the UN General Assembly, World Friendship Day is on the 30th of July, and it seeks to celebrate the friendship between people, countries, cultures, and communities. Recognising this wonderful day, we have created this article emphasising how friends play an essential part in our mental health!
Even the strongest relationships are put to the test when we're dealing with a mental health problem. Friends are often the key to recovering from hard times and motivate us to step back into the light.
You might not realise it, but keeping people close during the good and the tough times can make a difference in our lives.
5 Ways Friendships Can Improve Our Mental Health
Reduce Stress
Having friends can reduce our stress levels significantly for several reasons. One of the main reasons is that experiencing happiness and laughing with friends can boost the immune system and release serotonin's happiness hormone. Therefore, reducing both psychological and physical stressors.
Community belonging
No man is an island. Whether they're your friends from work, school, or from childhood, having a social group can bring a sense of belonging, especially if it's a group where you can be open and share problems or successes. Belonging somewhere makes us feel more confident and excited about life.
Higher Productivity Levels
Motivation is hard to find when we feel uncomfortable. Research has found that people are more productive when a positive environment surrounds them. So if you have friendly energy at work and at home, you'll probably notice higher productivity levels!
A Support System you can trust
Having family as a support system might be a given. But having people near you with similar age, living conditions, interests or even similar struggles can make you feel better understood, and therefore, better supported.
Increased Happiness
Everyone wants to be happy, and one of the easiest ways to achieve that is by having people around you that make you happy - friends! When you're happy, you're more likely to be creative, be passionate about what you do, and have a generally improved state of mental health. In addition, being happy at work can also make you more comfortable in other aspects of your life!
Having friends inside and outside work is essential - they're the people you share the joy with, who you turn to in times of crisis, which boost you up and make you feel like the world truly is a beautiful place.