Why is having true friends so important for mental health?

Naturally, humans are social creatures. That is why, having true friends has become a necessity in your life. Not only as a place to share stories of joy and sorrow, friends can also have a good impact on your health. In fact, researchers recently found that strong friendships as teens can help maintain good mental health as adults.

Research on youth friendship and mental health

It is undeniable, having healthy relationships brings many good benefits in your life. This then spurred scientists to begin researching the effects of close friendships on mental health.

Rachel K. Narr, Ph.D., one of the researchers and several colleagues from the Faculty of Psychology at the University of Virginia in the United States, made long-term observations of friendships that have been built since adolescence. The study, published in the Journal of Child Development, indeed states that adolescents who have close friendships are less likely to suffer from stress. Interestingly, adolescents are generally happier, feel valued, and can improve their abilities in academics.

It is from here that the researchers want to find out whether these various benefits can last into adulthood. To that end, Rachel K. Narr and colleagues studied 170 adolescents aged 15 years, and continued to follow their development for the next 10 years.

The study participants were asked to fill out a questionnaire regarding the character of their friends and the quality of their friendship. Not only that, the researchers also conducted interviews to determine the emotional state of adolescents, especially regarding self-esteem, anxiety, depression, and self-acceptance in their social environment.

Almost all teenagers think that quality friendship means that each person respects, trusts, and supports each other. This is why it is easier for teenagers to share what they are feeling, which they may find difficult to share with other people in general.

People who have true friends are less anxious and depressed

In fact, the study found that teens who had developed close friendships around the age of 15 were less likely to have social anxiety disorder (social anxiety) , higher self-esteem, and last but not least, a significantly lower risk of depression by age 25. This is inversely proportional to other adolescents who are not too intimate in making friends, and even tend not to prioritize friendship.

Rachel Narr said that the quality of friendships that lasted during adolescence could predict the long-term aspects of a person's mental and emotional health. The reason is, quality friendships are actually effective for maintaining one's mental health for years afterward.

Being close to other people can, without realizing it, increase your self-esteem. This of course is very important for self-development and the formation of everyone's identity.

Your true friends can be the key to mental health in the future

Having true friends can also help restore health to people who are struggling with mental illness. According to Leslie Becker-Phelps, Ph.D., a clinical psychologist at Basking Ridge, people with mental illnesses such as bipolar disorder or depression are prone to irritability, fatigue, and mood swings.

Now, the presence of true friends who are always accepting and supportive so that you can improve can help you deal with mental illness. Not without reason, because friendship can increase feelings of happiness, reduce stress, and can even make you live a long life.

However, it is important to remember that this does not mean that people who have true friends are free from the risk of depression or similar mental disorders. Mental disorders can still affect anyone, regardless of whether they have good friends or not. However, the risk is lower and the chances of recovery are greater for people who have had true friends since adolescence.