Friendship - Friendship and Health

Friendship and Health

The conventional wisdom is that good friendships enhance an individual's sense of happiness and overall well-being, but a number of solid studies support the notion that strong social supports improve a woman's prospects for good health and longevity. Conversely, it has been shown that loneliness and lack of social supports are linked to an increased risk of heart disease, viral infections, and cancer as well as higher mortality rates. Two researchers have even termed friendship networks a "behavioral vaccine" that protects both physical and mental health.

While there is an impressive body of research linking friendship and health status, the precise reasons for this connection are still far from clear. Most of the studies are large prospective studies (that follow people over a period of time), and while there may be a correlation between the two variables (friendship and health status), researchers still do not know if there is a cause-and-effect relationship, i. e., that good friendships actually improve health.

There are a number of theories that attempt to explain the link, including: Good friends encourage their friends to lead more healthy lifestyles; Good friends encourage their friends to seek help and access services when needed; Good friends enhance their friends' coping skills in dealing with illness and other health problems; and/or Good friends actually affect physiological pathways that are protective of health.