Friendship refers to the close bond that is formed between two people or a group. This type of relationship is usually based on trust, affection, loyalty, sympathy and respect that are deposited, reciprocally, the members of the relationship. Friendship is a fundamental component in life that, in addition, favors the mental health of people. It is, without a doubt, one of the most significant affective relationships that one can have.
Human beings are social beings, since we are born we need the care and affection of others to survive. As we grow, we belong to different groups and choose who we want to spend free time with. Possessing friends fosters a sense of belonging to these groups, which brings great emotional value to the person, since feeling integrated in our immediate environment is usually directly related to an increase in self-esteem and motivation.
In addition, being able to trust your friends, telling them that intimate and private information that you wish to share with them, in most cases, contributes to a relief from stress. Feeling heard, understood and / or loved is often a good "calming" for "emotional pain". Conversely, perceiving that the other part of the relationship shares with you their intimacies, concerns, achievements, emotions, etc., can make you feel valued, and also loved, which is related to an improvement in the self-concept of the person who listens. It should be mentioned in this section that this benefit occurs in those relationships of functional friendship, that is, in which each one, besides this link, has its space and does not feel dependent on the other person.
Alex García
