Friendship is a protective part of our psychological and physical health. Isolation has been shown to have a high impact on mortality; In fact, there is research suggesting that lack of psychological support can cause adverse health effects equivalent to smoking, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, obesity or lack of exercise.
In this sense, we can say that the close bonds we create with others double our well-being and divide anxiety in two, because creating close affective relationships strengthens us, of which there is no doubt.
- It is true that it is not easy to achieve psychological closeness with the people around us.
- Because often disappointments make us prefer loneliness.
- However.
- As long as that same loneliness does not become isolation.
- Our health should not be affected.
Being surrounded by people who love us makes us psychologically strong and avoids the emotional difficulties associated with problems such as divorce, economic obstacle or illness.
That is, having friends helps us share stress, it is wonderful to have a confidante, a person who can offer us help, advice or a shoulder on which to cry, only the presence of loved ones in our lives mitigates the impact of everyday life. setbacks we face.
Therefore, the quality and frequency of our friendships seem to be essential to reducing the discomfort and anxiety that sometimes keep us going. Robin’s words in “The Fearless Adventures of Robin Hood” illustrate this question:
“Speak freely and reveal your afflictions. The flow of words soothes the hearts of those who suffer; it’s like opening the floodgates when the prey threatens to overflow. “
Psychologist and researcher James Pennebaker has experimentally shown that talking about the problems that concern us most has a beneficial physical and psychological effect for us, that is, talking to our friends strengthens our health.
When we talk about emotional skills, we mean our ability to recognize, channel, and control our own feelings, empathy, and feelings that appear in social relationships.
Therefore, it is not surprising that when we have good friends around us we can strengthen our emotional abilities, which in turn allows us to have a better willingness for others to approach us (and vice versa), so that we have more options to create meaningful relationships.
This wonderful feeling of friendship, of having an emotional seat belt that protects us, is like nothing, feeling loved is not only exciting, but also challenging and revitalizing.
Keep in mind that someone wants to see you, talk to you, and know how you create an emotional state that saves us from the abyss in endless situations, so you can be sure that the people you care about are an important part of your life.
In this sense, it is good to write here a passage from the novel “The Palace of the Moon?” From Paul Auster, who beautifully reflects what we discussed:
“At the time, I didn’t know, of course, but knowing what I know now, it’s impossible for me to ignore these days without feeling a wave of nostalgia from my friends. Somehow, it changes the reality of what I went through.
I had jumped over the edge of the cliff and just as I was about to hit rock bottom something extraordinary happened: I knew that there were people who loved me, being loved so everything changes.
This does not alleviate the fear of falling, but it does give a new perspective of what that fear means, I had jumped over the edge and then in that last moment something lifted me in the air, it is something that I define as love. .
It’s the only thing that can stop a man from falling, the only powerful thing that can nullify the law of gravity.
Remember: a smile, a conversation or a word of encouragement are true lifeguards that protect us when we fall into prison from fear and discomfort.
Images by Kristina Webb, Claudia Tremblay and other unknown authors
Source of consultation of interest:
Goleman, D. (2001). Emotional intelligence. Editor Kairs. Barcelona.