They passed fire, water and copper pipes with us. Helped out in hopeless situations and remained nearby. Close friends are able to not only brighten up our lives and support at difficult moments. With their presence, they improve our health.
If you are lucky and you have good, devoted friends, take care of them. And if there are no such ones yet, remember the advice of the sage: the best way to find a friend is to become them. How loved ones improve life?
1. Reduce stress
This conclusion was reached by the professor of psychology, Villam Bukowski from the University of Concordia (Canada) 1 . He studied the behavior and condition of more than 100 schoolchildren. And he found out that in tense periods, for example, during exams, in children who were preparing for tests alone, the level of stress hormone cortisol was much higher than the norm. But those who coped with difficulties in the
company of friends, cortisol was significantly reduced. Therefore, do not fenced off from loved ones in difficult life situations. Dividing them with friends, you will find a way out faster.
2. Keep our health
For example, help in the fight against depression. Psychologists from Canada are sure of this. They conducted a study of 2 groups of patients who were diagnosed with depression and increased anxiety. Patients were offered to join a circle of embroidery, yoga, drawing, engage in group sports or attend collective meetings with a psychologist.
A month later, those who walked “for checkmarks” and did not get friends in the classroom, the risk of protracted depression grew by 50%. And on the contrary, patients who began to consider themselves part of the team, a month later they felt better.
The presence of close friends can reduce the emergence of dementia – this was proved by the psychologist Bryan James with his team from Chicago.
And Janice Kiecolt-Glaser from the University of Medical University (USA) found that Availabilityfriends can increase immunity. She studied 276 adults from 18 to 55 years old. Cycol-Glasezer gave each of the participants in the study drops in the nose with a cold virus, and then all participants in the experiment were placed on five-day quarantine.
Patients who showed before the study in the questionnaire that they had many friends and acquaintances, the symptoms were insignificant and the disease was gently. And vice versa. Loners fought with the virus longer. The psychologist associates this with the fact that regular communication with a large number of people increases the stress resistance of the body.
3. Extend life
Clinical psychologist Margaret Gibbs is sure of this. “Friends have a good influence on us,” explains Gibbs, “together it’s much easier to abandon bad habits and get useful. Playing sports with a friend, you will less often miss classes. The older we become, 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 number of quantities as the quality of friends. If you have 950 friends on Facebook (an extremist organization banned in Russia), this does not mean that they are all able to make your life more saturated and happier. All of the above applies to close friends with whom you have a truly trusting relationship.
And finally, another advice from Margaret Gibbs: do not interrupt relations with friends who moved to another city or country. Margaret Gibbs assures – at least a pair of calls or letters per month is enough to maintain relationships. Although modern technologies allow you to stay in touch 24 hours a day. Therefore, share pictures in social networks, discuss problems in messengers and do not lose each other.
