The types of relationships friends provide have extraordinary health benefits. In one study, researchers report that stressed hamsters with skin wounds that were paired up with other hamsters healed faster than those that were left alone.

The hamsters with friends also produced less cortisol, a stress hormone that creates negative emotions. Truly having a social network of friends enriches our lives and ensures a healthier, happier existence.

personal relationships
To create the type of relationships that friends need, you must first create time for them. It’s simply not possible to physically see every single friend each day, but phoning, emailing, sending cards in the mail and text messaging friends to let them know you’re thinking of them can go a long way.

Sometimes the easiest way to make time for seeing friends is to pick one mutual hobby you can do each week together, such as a yoga class, a weekly game night, a movie night, join a hockey league, choose a day and time to meet at your favorite bar or coffee shop, etc.

You need to make your friends a priority to reap any benefits from your interpersonal relationships. You want be there for the good times, such as for weddings, graduations and birthday parties, yet you also need to be there for the bad times too; for the funerals, the surgeries and the breakups.

social relationships
Even though the relationships friends provide are essential, we should be careful not to place too much burden on any one person. “Just as no marriage can meet our every need for intimacy, neither can a single friendship,” wrote Elisa Morgan and Carol Kuykendall in their book,

What Every Mom Needs. When we expect one friend to meet all of our needs for daily stimulation, support, companionship and advice, we inadvertently begin to suffocate him or her. We may even become possessive of that friendship and attempt to control that person.

Instead, we should look to several different interpersonal relationships to satisfy our needs. Lastly, good friends forgive quickly and accept that people are only human.

interracial relationships
When we are kids, it’s easy to acquire relationships friends provide. We find them at school, in after-school activities, in the neighborhood and through our parents. However, once we’re older and married, we may see our social relationships dwindle. There are many places for you to make romance relationships with people.

You can take your pet to a dog park, join a gym class, join a cause or hobby group, get involved at your kids’ school, join a church, organize a block party or go back to school. Thanks to our social relationships, we’ll live longer, healthier and happier lives.

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