Friendship is a relationship of mutual affection between people.

[1] It is a stronger form of interpersonal

bond than an "acquaintance" or an "association", such as a classmate, neighbor, coworker, or colleague.

In some cultures, the concept of friendship is restricted to a small number of very deep relationships; in
others, such as the U.S. and Canada, a person could have many friends, plus perhaps a more intense
relationship with one or two people, who may be called good friends or best friends.

Friendship is a privilege that shouldn’t be underestimated. Simply put, good friends are good for you.

Social interactions trigger all those feel-good vibes in your brain’s endorphin system.

There’s actual science behind this!

If you have enjoyable friendships and an active social life, you’re less likely to develop serious illnesses
later in life and more likely to live long. Friendships may even be more effective at extending your life
span than exercise!

The crucial point here is the nature of those relationships, and how they make you feel loved, cared for,
and listened to.

Here’s what science says:

Friendships can be a stronger painkiller than morphine and fulfilling relationships increase your pain
tolerance

Friendships help keep your mind sharp and reduce your risk of dementia (Holwerda et al., 2014)

Having friends can help you better cope with stress and reduce your cortisol (stress hormone) levels

The quality of your friendships impacts cardiovascular diseases, your blood pressure, cancer recovery
and wound healing.

our social circle may shield you against depression, boost your self-esteem, and give support when the
rain starts to fall

Good friends keep you from doing things that are bad for you, like smoking and heavy drinking (I’ll leave
the late nights out in the middle here)

Distance doesn't have to dampen a friendship .

For women, friendships are more important than family.