Not having friends is bad for your health

1. It is not about going out to have fun, but about having people who can support us at all times. Not having friends can be detrimental to our well-being.

n this age where social networks show us profiles with hundreds of friends we realize that, in reality, we are not surrounded by so many people we can trust . Therefore, not having friends is something that many people experience on a daily basis.

But did you know that not having friends is bad for your health? The human being needs to interact with other people, is not made to isolate himself completely avoiding contact with others. In this article we explain why this is so and how you can reverse the situation.

Not having friends: a 21st century problem?

People are not "programmed" to live in solitude. However, more and more people recognize that they do not have "real" friends beyond contacts from social networks. An option for people who are shy or not sure of themselves.

But it is not about hermits that live in the middle of the mountain, but of beings that live in a big city. It is also not a question of age since it can affect both the young and the elderly. The lack of friends brings many consequences for our emotional health. The most prominent is depression .

While we may think that the link with society and the sense of belonging we owe to our family, the truth is that friendships are necessary and recommended to make us feel good and choose our company. What happens when not having friends translates into not having anyone who is able to support you, to listen to you or to be there for you when you need it?

The feelings of anguish appear from one moment to the next, the self-esteem is on the floor and we feel really alone in a world with billions of people. Therefore, it is normal for those who do not have friends to feel angry or critical of themselves, since they see this problem as a personal failure . While this is true, it is also in your hands to change the situation.

Not having friends affects your health

The benefits of friendship and having people to trust have always been discussed. But what about the repercussions of not having friends for our health (both physical and emotional)? According to a research article published in 2010, those who have good social relationships can live up to 50% more (and better) than loners.

This is because living a withdrawn life without sharing experiences and opinions with anyone is a risk factor as serious as smoking 15 cigarettes a day or being an alcoholic. The investigation was carried out in Utah, United States. Over 300,000 people were examined for 7 years.

The analyzes measured the relationships in different ways: the size of the social circle, if they were in a couple, how many times they saw their friends per month, in what situations they could count on friendships, etc. Regardless of age or level of health, it was concluded that participants who had strong social ties showed a higher survival rate.

Who have a friend, have a treasure

One of the authors of the study, Julianne Holt Lunstad , indicated that interpersonal relationships can influence our health and, therefore, in the years we live. Having people you can count on in stressful or distressing times may seem like something "normal" to you; however, for many it is not so frequent.

A friend may recommend us to visit the doctor if he sees us wrong, he may encourage us to eat better if we have gained a lot of weight or he may urge us to exercise together. We can even make "sacrifices" for that person if he needs to: go to a healthy food restaurant, accompany him to the gym, do not smoke in front of him, etc. Social relationships are very important for our physical and, of course, mental health .

How to make friends?

In theory everything seems easy, but now is the time to find true friends (and not profiles on social networks). The "face to face" contact is always much more difficult, but also the one that brings the most benefits . Therefore, we must make an effort to start making real friends.

If you are not a very sociable person, you are characterized by being shy or introverted or have a very lonely job, then we recommend these tips to make friends (and enjoy all the benefits of friendship for your health). Put them into practice!

1. Overcome your insecurities

Put aside your fears , do not criticize yourself , do not say that nobody wants to be with you ... because those affirmations keep people away from you. If you feel insecure, you should work on this aspect of yourself. Self-confidence attracts and allows other people to come closer.

Go to a psychologist if it is necessary to allow you to recover that confidence in yourself. Convince yourself that you are valuable, you want to socialize and that you are a very interesting person. Surely there are qualities in you that you are very proud of. So, focus on them.

2. Do not judge others

Maybe the fact of not having friends is because of your own prejudices . If every person you know seems inappropriate to you, maybe you should be less "demanding" or put aside appearances. Give the opportunity to the other so you can get to know him better.

Although in the past they could have hurt you, this should not make you put on a suit of armor that prevents you from interacting openly and healthy with others.

3. Talk more

You never know where you can establish a friendship. In your vacations, in the market, in the metro ... Surely there are people who share with you several activities and you have not noticed.

How about starting with a simple greeting or a basic talk about the weather or some event of the day? Do not wait for others to take the initiative. The "no" you already have.

4. Find friends by affinity

A good way to have friends is by attending events related to your interests . It can be sports, music , art or gardening. The important thing is that you surround yourself with people with whom you can share pleasant moments.

Not having friends can help you put all these tips into practice. In this way, you will start a path to find those people with whom you have affinity. There are many people in the world.