Friendship and Life Expectancy: Exploring the Benefits of Social Connections

Humans are social creatures, evolutionarily programmed to form and maintain emotional connections with other people. Therefore, loneliness and social isolation can affect mood, behavior, and physical and mental health. Friendships can provide emotional support, companionship, and other benefits that may promote longevity and well-being. Learning more about the benefits of social relationships and how therapy can help you develop healthy, lasting friendships with the people in your social circle may be helpful. 

The link between close friends and life expectancy

Having people you can depend on and enjoy time with may make a significant difference in your life. Friends may keep you entertained and give you advice when you ask while also helping you live longer. According to the CDC, people with stronger social bonds have a 50% higher likelihood of survival than those with fewer social connections. 

Studies show that people who lack social support or have poor-quality connections with the people in their lives experience adverse physical impacts equivalent to smoking nearly a pack of cigarettes per day. Data also shows that a lack of solid relationships is directly related to a substantially increased “risk of premature death from all causes.”

Research has revealed that friendships support longer life by reducing harmful stress levels (affecting heart health, gut function, insulin regulation, and immune system) when caring behavior directed toward you incites the release of stress-reducing neurochemicals. Having meaningful connections with others can reduce your risk for severe health concerns like heart attack, high blood pressure, stroke, or cardiovascular disease. Since close friends can help you live longer, they build and maintain strong bonds with others.  

How does social isolation affect mental health?

Since social connections provide wide-reaching benefits, including a healthy life, social isolation does the opposite. Research shows that social isolation can negatively affect mood and behavior in numerous ways, including the following:

• Increased risk for suicidal thoughts or self-harming behavior
• Disruptions to your sleep cycle, difficulty falling asleep, or less restful sleep
• Changes to your eating patterns or weight
• Increased stress levels, particularly in the morning
• Difficulties concentrating and completing complex tasks
• Loneliness, which can wreak havoc on your mental, physical, and cognitive health

If you are experiencing suicidal thoughts or urges, call the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline at 988 or text 988 to talk to a crisis provider over SMS. They are available 24/7 to offer support. 988 also offers an online chat for those with an internet connection.

The benefits of friendship

Social connections with a family member or friends can extend your life expectancy and enhance the quality of your day-to-day experiences. Dozens of studies confirm the beneficial aspects of close social interactions and solid friendships. Consider the following benefits you might experience by forming close bonds with others. 

Avoidance of serious health issues

Friendship can reduce your risk of developing serious medical problems like heart disease, dementia, and stroke, as well as mental health conditions like anxiety and depression. In addition, it may reduce your mortality risk. 

Resilience

You may be able to overcome stress, depression, anxiety, and other mental health concerns when you have strong and supportive social connections. Close friends can help you cope with emotionally challenging situations, such as divorce, the death of a loved one, job loss, or severe illness. In addition, they can help guide you in developing a healthy lifestyle when you’re stressed. 

Promote self-care

Close friends often care about your well-being and may encourage you to engage in adequate self-care to safeguard your health. They may try to persuade you to reshape unhealthy habits like excessive drinking or substance use and engage in healthy eating and exercise instead. 

If you are struggling with substance use, contact the SAMHSA National Helpline at (800) 662-4357 to receive support and resources.

Increase your sense of belonging

As you grow older, your desire to fit in may become less about popularity and more about building a support network of close friends and family whom you enjoy having in your life. Strong, robust social connections can help you believe you've found a place you belong, which can give you a sense of purpose and comfort.

Improve your confidence and self-worth

Your friends may see the best parts of you and stick by your side, cheering you on through the significant milestones of your life. Your friends can believe in you when you can't believe in yourself, building your self-confidence and helping you see your value when you’ve forgotten it.

How to make and keep adult friendships

Some people may believe making friends was easier when they were younger. School, sports teams, and other extracurricular activities commonly unite younger individuals, allowing them to bond without much effort. As people become older and must put more effort into their friendships, they may find it more challenging to create meaningful connections. 

While making and keeping friends as an adult can be challenging, these friendships often provide deeper platonic connections and more robust benefits. To make friends, consider the following tips: 

• Friendly people often seem more approachable. If you can portray that you are an open, available, and welcoming individual, it may make people more likely to seek interactions with you. 
• Interact with people who share common interests, values, and hobbies. 
• Let people know if you’re new in the area; they may make more of an effort to show you around or get to know you.
• Go to places you can meet new people, such as workout classes, volunteer events, religious services, dog parks, etc. 
• Ask questions during conversations and actively listen to the answers given.
• Smile and use friendly body language.

Below are some tips for keeping friends you’ve made as an adult: 

• Strive to be a supportive, engaged friend who cares about your friends' lives. Friendships go both ways, and it can be important to be there for them, too.
• Understand that life can be busy and chaotic; have patience if they aren’t available. 
• Present an authentic version of yourself.
• Approach friendships with an open mind and a willingness to try or learn new skills or ideas.  
• Embrace the idea of focusing your efforts on a few high-quality connections over casual friendships with a lot of people. 

Support options

Communication and compromise are often at the heart of healthy, successful relationships, whether platonic or romantic. If you struggle to maintain friendships, consider working with a licensed therapist. A therapist can teach you communication skills to express yourself and equip you with conflict-resolution strategies that allow you and your friends to work through disputes together. 

Making new friends can be time-consuming, and you may struggle to find room in your schedule for therapy. With online therapy through a platform like BetterHelp, you can meet with your provider from home or anywhere else you have an internet connection. You can also use phone calls, video chats, or an in-app messaging feature to connect and schedule sessions according to your availability. 

Some people may express curiosity about online therapy alongside doubts that it could provide the same results as traditional methods. Recent research from the American Psychological Association suggests that online and in-person psychotherapy offer equally effective outcomes for reducing symptoms of mental health conditions and addressing other general life concerns. People participating in online therapy often report shorter wait times, more cost-effective pricing, and access to a more comprehensive network of treatment providers.

Takeaway 

Robust social connections may prevent serious physical and mental illnesses while offering various benefits to your world— including a longer life. It may be valuable to familiarize yourself with the process of finding, making, and keeping close friendships alive. 

While it may be more challenging to make friends as you age, searching for people who share your interests, goals, and values may make it easier to find individuals with whom you have much in common. Improving your communication skills may be helpful when you’re trying to make new relationships, and one way to do so is through therapy. Consider reaching out to a licensed therapist online or in your area to get started.