Friendship and your Health

If you did not exchange wishes with friends on Friendship Day, STOP, THINK and RECTIFY! You could be missing an essential ingredient of health from your life.

Friendship Day is generally celebrated on the 1^st Sunday of August, but you can of course observe it every other day.

FRIENDS are important for several reasons:

1.      Scientists studying the effects of friends note a strong link between immunity and social support. Those with friends are more likely to ward off or fight illnesses and traumas, and survive life threatening situations like major accidents or heart attacks. Even wound seem to heal faster in those who have warm friends.

2.  They play a key role in processing stress. Unburdening your heart is a great stress buster and helps reduce stress hormones from the body.

3.   Friends play a pivotal role in boosting self-confidence. Remember the first occasion when you had to go up on stage…and how your supportive friends cheered you on….and reassuringly complimented you even when you shook and stammered! And encouraged you to perform again…and this time you did much better?

4. Those with friends tend to be happier and content in life. Studies have shown that happiness can rub off on you when you socialize with happy people

5. Those with good wide strong bonds of friendship tend to have lower frequency of hypertension, heart disease and depression, and tend to live longer. 

Friends may be of several types: those you meet and cross often such as classmates, parents of your children’s friends, office colleagues, neighbors; many with whom you share a functional role and camaraderie. At a higher level, there could be someone you can bare your chest and share your grief with and seek guidance. Your sib, spouse, parent or child can sometimes be your best friend!

Psychologists point out that loners (those without friends) often show negative traits such as depression, self-obsession, anger and cruelty. Most serial killers who have gone on shooting sprees killing innocent people have had one common trait: they were LONERS, without friends!

While friendship is of great value in our lives, you should not let it become exploitive or toxic. Experts point out the following ‘red flag’ signs to warn you that it is probably time to end the friendship.

1.      Your friend betrays your trust, sometimes more than once, so that you cannot trust him anymore.

2.      It is always one sided

3.      The relationship becomes too negative, exploitive, demanding and draining on your energy.

4.      You find very little to communicate or share with each other

5.      You realize that your value systems are entirely at odds.

In such situations, it is prudent not to blame the other, but pleasantly extricate oneself from the relationship. The earlier the better!

Investing time in friends usually pays more dividends to your health and life than investing money in bonds and funds. Please pick up your phone today to wish and greet your friends who matter in your life, albeit a day late!