They're our most important allies in the pursuit of things like happiness, self-esteem and wellbeing. Research by an academic called Susan Degges-White found that people with three to five close friends report the highest levels of life satisfaction.
Research suggests that the number of close friends we need to feel that we have enough is somewhere between three and five. Not only that, but adults with four or five friends enjoy the highest levels of life satisfaction and those with three close friends are not far behind.
There's no “right” number of friends you should have, but research says most people have between 3 and 5 close friends. Friendship is necessary, but it can feel challenging to find people who really “get” you. What's more, what you need from your friends might change as your life circumstances change.
Friends prevent isolation and loneliness and give you a chance to offer needed companionship, too. Friends can also: Increase your sense of belonging and purpose. Boost your happiness and reduce your stress.
While might feel like you don't need friends to be happy, it is important to have people you can trust and can turn to when you need support. People are social creatures and tend to thrive when they have high-quality connections with other people.
Jessica Harrison, a licensed professional counselor and owner of Courageous Counseling and Consulting, says a lack of long-term friendships is a major red flag. "It shows that they have not been committed to growing in relationships, which takes time and effort on both friends' part," says Harrison.
Ten Lines on Friends in English
1) Friends are the persons who share the same thinking and understanding with us. 2) She/he is the one who is always ready to help us in any situation. 3) "A friend in need is a friend indeed" is a proverb which signifies the importance of true friendship.
According to “The Friendship Report,” a global study commissioned by Snapchat in 2019, the average age at which we meet our best friends is 21—a stage when we're not only bonding over formative new experiences such as first love and first heartbreak, but also growing more discerning about whom we befriend.
Despite the high volume of #squadgoals grams posted by acquaintances you don't actually go out with, it's actually perfectly normal to have just a few close friends. So whether you've grown apart from your high school or college friend group, or never had one to begin with, here's why—and why it's OK!
39% have 3-5 close friends. 18% have 6-9 close friends. 27% have 10 or more friends.
The Rule of Three for Conscious Living says, “When meeting someone you find attractive, it takes at least three contacts to determine mutual interest and comfort to proceed further.”
Obviously, most people don't meet all of their friends during childhood and, unfortunately, not all friendships last forever. The poll found that the average friendship lasts for 17 years, however, 17 percent say they've had the same best friend for over 30 years!
All you need is three (or four, or five)
In the 1990s, evolutionary psychologist Robin Dunbar published a study claiming that humans can cognitively handle up to 150 meaningful social relationships (which includes family and friends) at any point, colloquially known as Dunbar's Number.
However, introverts don't need a wide circle of friends. They prefer one or two close friends, even though they may know many people and have many acquaintances. Despite this preference, introverts are often criticized for not attempting to make more friends, and are often viewed as lacking social skills.
If you don't have friends right now, you could feel depressed about your life. Having limited social connections can create stress and lead to mental health problems like depression. However, having no friends today doesn't mean you can't have good friends tomorrow.
"Lacking encouragement from family or friends, those who are lonely may slide into unhealthy habits," Valtorta says. "In addition, loneliness has been found to raise levels of stress, impede sleep and, in turn, harm the body. Loneliness can also augment depression or anxiety."
While you may think a friendship will last forever, it's not uncommon for some friends to fade. Sometimes, a disagreement or falling out creates a gap between friends. Other times, commitments like work, distance, or family result in a friendship slowly fading away without animosity.
If you and your friend have trust, equality, compassion, honesty, and independence, you already have the foundation of a strong and healthy friendship.
Good friends are vitally important to your mental health and to the quality of your life. To live and to love are inseparable from each other. Friendship is an opportunity to love, to learn about yourself, to mature as a human being, and to open up to the full experience of life.
People who are uncomfortable with others or prefer to be alone may have a hard time maintaining friendships. Personality issues such as being pushy, too talkative, or controlling can be off-putting to others. Talking to an objective third party such as a therapist can help reveal issues that interfere with friendships.
A very common reason for this difficulty is that many people experience some degree of anxiety when meeting new people. This anxiety stems from a fear of being rejected or judged by others.