We've Devalued The Term 'Friend' And It's Wrecking Our Health | The Odyssey Online
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Friendships

We've Devalued The Term 'Friend' And It's Wrecking Our Health

Hearty friendships help our health.

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We've Devalued The Term 'Friend' And It's Wrecking Our Health

Friendship can be described as a close association between two people marked by feelings of care, respect, admiration or love. Friends are amazing, we all need them. To me, a friendship is more than just a relationship you have in your life; it's a core part of who you are. Life was made to be done with other people but we have dumbed it down to where anyone and everyone is our friend. You will only being as strong as the ones around you. The temptation in friendship is that you find your identity in them

Friends are made differently.

Even as adults, people make friends like they're on the playground at recess: through proximity and perception. You like coloring and the person next to you has the 64-pack of crayons with the sharpener. The temptation in friendship is that you find your identity in them but are blinded by the desire for companions. Without knowing anything about someone, you're suddenly friends. There are subcategories to better describe the conditional friendships

Fans like you for what you have and can produce. Their only connection to you is what you do, they were never there for you. You will get hurt very badly by them because they don't know anything about you, we live our lives to impress people who actually have

Followers are closer than fans. They will see something they like about you and decide to interact with you.

Hearty friendships help our health.

Our friends should make us feel happy, exhilarated, alive, and most of all, healthy. Many people look to friends for support, community, and laughter, but when a friend doesn't pull their weight or does something to intentionally hurt you, it can really damage your mental health. Our interactions and relationship with our friends can, in large part, determine our happiness. If you can't feel comfortable around a friend and have to babysit their emotions, this friendship probably isn't good for your mental state.

The reality is, having a community and strong friendships that you can rely on when times get tough is crucial to mental and physical health. "Good friendships can benefit our mental health in so many ways: Friends reduce stress, make us laugh, help us feel known and understood, motivate us to take care of ourselves and reach higher, and fulfill the basic need of belonging,"You allow them to see you on an intimate level. They see purpose inside of you and are fight for it.

Real friends do what fans and followers can't.

A real friend will allow you to be whoever you want to be, without judgment. True friends don't ask you to change the parts of yourself that even you can't accept — they embrace you anyway, flaws and all. They put your insecurities to rest, and actually find beauty in your imperfections. A true friend will love and adore you for whatever you identify with, and will admire you for both your strengths and weaknesses.

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This article has not been reviewed by Odyssey HQ and solely reflects the ideas and opinions of the creator.
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