Why maintaining childhood friendships is good for your mental health
A study published in the journal Psychological Science in 2018 found that adults who maintained friendships during their childhood had lower blood pressure and body mass index than normal people. The study also found that people who maintained friendships during their childhood often had slower rates of memory decline.
Childhood friendships help us have better mental health
- They are friends who grew up with us, have many of the same experiences and pasts as us, when faced with turmoil, they are like emotional anchors that help us balance.
- Maintaining relationships with childhood friends gives you support, a place to confide in, share, and help relieve stress in life.
- As you go through life, you may meet and make new friends, and these relationships may develop and end quickly. Long-term friendships can be a great emotional support when you experience new relationships breaking down, and a long-term ally to help you recover and heal.
- Meeting old friends helps you find a sense of familiarity, recall old stories and reminisce about the past to improve your mood.
How to maintain teenage friendships
- Use technology: Keep in touch with your close friends through social networks, this helps you get closer without taking too much time.
- Plan annual trips and get-togethers. These get-togethers will give you and your friends a chance to connect and create new experiences and memories.
- As time goes by, friendships may have to face changes in both outlook and lifestyle. Accept that your lives have changed and respect the differences.
- Maintain a genuine interest in each other's lives by remembering important events and keeping up with what's going on in each other's lives. This shows that you respect your friendship, regardless of time and distance.
- Don't miss important meetings, events or occasions with your best friend. Keeping your word helps foster trust and demonstrates that friendship is one of your top priorities.
- Reminisce about good memories of the past with your teenage friend, share about your current life, and even introduce them to new relationships, which will help them integrate into your life.
- Realize that everyone has busy lives. Don't be upset if you reach out to an old friend and don't get a response right away. Patience and understanding will go a long way in maintaining a friendship.
