Why You Need Friendship And Love

Medically reviewed by Nikki Ciletti, M.Ed, LPC
Updated November 21, 2024by BetterHelp Editorial Team

Healthy, loving friendships with other human beings can be powerful and enrich your life in numerous ways. Not only can they offer emotional support, but they can also contribute to positive physical and mental health benefits.

Research published in the PLOS Medicine shows that people who have close friends have a lower risk of mortality from all causes, including heart disease and chronic diseases. Other research published in The American Journal of Psychiatry found that people with close friends were less likely to experience depression and more likely to report high life satisfaction.

Below, we’ll explore friendship, love, and ways that both can have a positive impact on your mental and physical health. 

Close friendships can support positive mental health

What is friendship?

Friendship tends to be a mutually positive, respectful, and trust-based connection with another human being. When two people are truly friends with one another, they tend to care about one another's feelings, enjoy spending time together, and have similar interests and outlooks. Friends can also be unique and have differences of opinion, but friends are often more alike than they are different, even if this likeness is not readily apparent.

When you have a strong friendship with someone, you tend to accept them for who they are, and they tend to accept you. This reciprocity usually involves not trying to change a person or mold them into something they are not. Friends often cherish and appreciate a person's quirks instead of resenting them or attempting to alter their personality.

Strong friendships in life can sometimes broaden your horizons and help you grow and see things from a perspective other than your own. Friendships can also expose you to different experiences and cultures. Friends can often help you believe in yourself, stay positive during tough times, and remember all that you are capable of achieving.

What is love?

Love can come in many forms and has often been described as one of the most profound emotions that people experience in life. Many people who have experienced love for another person have found love to be life-changing and monumental. Individuals who experience romantic love often enjoy spending time with their significant other, experiencing intimacy, and being part of a union. 

Like friendship, love can be a powerful and life-changing feeling. Love often involves caring deeply for someone and wanting what is best for them. Love tends to be different from lust, infatuation, or obsession. When you love someone, you usually want them to be happy, safe, and at peace. This may be why many people make sacrifices for someone they love or go to extraordinary lengths when they believe that person may be in danger. 

Close friendships can support positive mental health

How can friendship and love change your life?

While many people know of the emotional benefits of love and friendship, many people might not be aware of the health benefits. Having loving people in your life can make a difference in more than one area. 

Friendship and love can improve physical health

When you are around people who love and care for you (and vice versa), a hormone known as oxytocin is often released. Oxytocin has been linked to a reduction in blood pressure, greater energy, and reduced negative emotions like fear, stress, and anxiety. Experiencing these negative feelings regularly can negatively affect your health over time, not just on a physical level, but also emotionally and psychologically. For this reason, spending more time around loved ones may help mitigate against these effects.

Oxytocin also tends to improve people's abilities to adapt socially and experience general wellness in everyday life.

Friendships are associated with a lesser likelihood of depression

The existence of love and friendship in an individual's life has also been linked to a reduced likelihood of experiencing depression. When we have positive interpersonal relationships in our lives, we tend to feel happier, have more social experiences, and enjoy a higher quality of life. Healthy friendships can positively affect your mental health, which may make it important to assess which people you’d like to surround yourself with.

Friends can provide support during challenging times

Everyone experiences challenging times at one point or another, and challenges do not always manifest themselves in the same manner for each person. Sometimes, people experience rough times in the form of being laid off from work, losing a loved one, or experiencing a natural disaster. However, having friendship and love in life may help ensure that you have a support system to fall back on in times of distress.

When facing challenging times, it can be important to be willing to accept help from those who care about us. Often, people are led to believe that they must do everything on their own and rely on no one else. However, this may not be the best course of action. While there is nothing inherently wrong with being independent and self-sufficient, allowing the people who love you to be supportive can serve as a healthy balance between independence and self-sufficiency.

How to find friendships and love

Depending on who you are, where you live, and what your lifestyle is, you may or may not have a hard time developing loving relationships. If you find this process challenging, then the following tips and advice may prove to be of value.

Engage in recreational activities you enjoy

Participating in recreational activities that you enjoy may help you attract friendships and love into your life. One of the most effective ways to make this happen may be to put yourself in places where you can meet like-minded people. For example, taking a recreational class can allow you to do something that you love while meeting others with similar interests. This may set the foundation for loving friendships to form.

Don’t be afraid to be yourself

Sometimes, people believe they must adopt a certain persona or change who they are to find friendship and love in life. As common as this misconception may be, it isn’t usually accurate. True friendship and love allow you to be who you are without having to change or become something or someone you’re not. Sometimes, it can be tempting to want to fit in with others, but authenticity may help you find the right people for you. Finding those individuals may be easier if you practice being yourself and don’t try to change who you are to satisfy others.

Set boundaries

Setting boundaries may help determine the behaviors you are willing to accept from others, which may lead to more fulfilling relationships. Understanding what friendship and love entail may help you set healthy boundaries. Loving relationships can serve as positive and uplifting contributions to your life rather than bring you down. If you feel that friendship and love are bringing you down, you may benefit from reassessing your inner circle and surrounding yourself with healthier people.

Online counseling with BetterHelp

If you’re having trouble fostering healthy friendships, online therapy may be a beneficial tool. With online therapy through BetterHelp, you’ll have the opportunity to work with one of the thousands of licensed therapists available on the platform. This means you can find someone with whom you can establish a rapport, and you can always switch therapists if needed. You can communicate in a way that’s most comfortable for you, whether by live chat, phone, or video chat. 

You can also message your therapist outside of sessions through in-app messaging. If you find yourself struggling with a friendship, have a question, or just want to chat, you can send an in-app message to your therapist, and they will get back to you when they’re able.

The efficacy of online counseling

Studies show that online therapy can help individuals cope with symptoms of depression and similar mental health conditions that may take a toll on friendships. In a study published by the Journal of Medical Internet Research, researchers examined the effects of internet-based cognitive-behavioral therapy (ICBT) on depression and anxiety. The results showed that individuals who completed the online interventions showed a significant reduction in symptoms. Cognitive-behavioral therapy is a widely accepted method of counseling that aims to help participants reframe inaccurate, negative thought patterns that may be leading to problematic behaviors in friendships.

"I have always felt extremely uncomfortable talking about my feelings, but Gloria completely changed that. Since day one I have felt comfortable because she makes me feel like she genuinely cares and comprehends everything I share with her. She is always so optimistic and supportive and makes me look forward to our next session."
— BetterHelp member’s review of their therapist

Takeaway

Friendships and love can provide you with solace and happiness in even the most trying times. Research shows they can improve your mental and physical health and increase your life satisfaction. If you are having trouble making new friends or communicating with old ones, participating in online therapy may help. An online therapist can work with you to help you evaluate your friendships and develop a loving support system. Take the first step toward developing strong, loving friendships, and reach out to BetterHelp today.
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