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Writer's pictureFeehaan Sultan

Scientific reasons for why you should maintain friendships

When asking for blog topic ideas, my roommates suggested the idea of friendship. Since we all haven't seen our friends for a few months, this topic seemed very relevant and interesting to research about. The main thing people have had to adjust to during this time of hardship is maintaining friendships without physical contact. Many times, people lose contact with people that they are not in physically proximity too because they simply do not see them anymore and forget. However, there are many benefits of maintaining these friendships (even after we graduate college and head off in different paths).


Scientifically speaking, friendships help you a lot in terms of your health. There was a review study in 2010 on 300,000 participants and they found that people who had strong social relationships lived longer on average because it helped deal with stress more effectively. Additionally, there was also another study in 2015 where they found a 124% increased risk of high BP if you lack strong ties. This is in comparison to a 70% increased risk of high BP due to diabetes. That just shows you the power of friendship. Another study in 2012 determined that older people who were more lonely had an almost 10% increased risk of developing dementia to those who didn't.


Besides the benefits of preventing diseases, friends also have a good influence on you. A study in 2011 found that people who become friends with people who are physically healthier will also tend to change habits and become physically healthier. They found this in a wide variety of scenarios such as education, mental health, stress levels, and etc. This is why it is so essential to pick a good group of friends because negative behaviors will also catch on. Furthermore, in the future, friends help make connections! Whether you need a recommendation on stocks to meeting your soulmate to starting up businesses, friends help make important connections for the future.

Personally, I believe it is very crucial to have a few very close friends. It is important to have deep relationships so that, in your time of need, you can rely on people who are close. But also remember, friendship is double-sided. If you want people to be there in your time of need, you should also be there for them. A strong social tie does not work if it's one sided. One good question everyone should ask themselves is if they truly trust their close friends with anything because if they don't, it might be time to make new friends. Your friends should always be a positive influence so don't be afraid to break off friendships with people who are not worthy.


Furthermore, keeping up with friends is not that hard! Send them a text every so often asking how they're doing, arrange a friends night out every 3 months, send memes to each other on instagram, play basketball with each other; the possibilities are endless! Don't be afraid to initiate conversation, I can guarantee you that most likely, that person will actually appreciate you checking up on them. Everyone enjoys company and talking to someone so send that text without hesitation to someone you haven't talked to in a long time. Physical proximity should never define a friendship! If you ever want a new friend, don't be afraid to reach out!

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