Best friendships enrich our lives, make us feel supported and loved, and increase our overall happiness. studies even indicate that friendships are also essential to our health, well-being and longevity such as diet and exercise.
What kind of friendship makes us happiest? Research shows that people need three to five close friends to achieve optimal life satisfaction. Having more close friends than that can become difficult to balance.
“We generally don’t have enough time or emotional energy to maintain more than five close friendships at any given time.” Lauren Napolitano“Having fewer than three close friends is less than ideal because it reduces our chances of having our needs met if one of those friends is unavailable,” a clinical psychologist in Philadelphia tells TODAY.com.
Looser connections with friends you’re not as close to can be just as valuable, especially as our social needs grow and change over time. Here’s a look at the five types of friendships we need to optimal happiness and well-being:
The 5 Types of Friends
Friendships can look different depending on a variety of factors, like how long you’ve known them and how you met.
Close friends
Close friends are people you have known for many years and have been with you through the ups and downs. While there may be times when you are not in touch, you can pick up where you left off at any time and you can always call them when you need them.
According to Dr. Anjali FergusonVirginia-based clinical psychologist, close friendships are essential for mental health“In these relationships, judgments and social desirability are less important, and an individual can be their most authentic self,” she explains. “These relationships simultaneously challenge and support us while helping us grow through validation and safety.”
Friends for life
There can be some overlap between close friends and lifelong friends. Napolitano says lifelong friends have the advantage of knowing you when you were still growing and developing as a person. “Sometimes also called ‘family friends,’ these people have known you and your family since childhood,” she says.
Napolitano describes these friends as people who know all the ins and outs of your upbringing and who also understand your parents and siblings well. “Even if you don’t talk to these friends regularly, there’s a deep understanding that helps us feel stable and secure in our friendship with them,” she adds.
Ferguson says that lasting friendships become even more important as we age, as our social circles shrink. “In these friendships, individuals may experience a multitude of changes and stressors in their lives, so these supports can become critical in navigating stressful life events.”
Friends of convenience
Friendships based on proximity, such as the friends we make through a hobby or those who live in our neighborhood, are considered friendships of convenience. You can see them…
