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5 Benefits of Sharing Your Problems with Others

by RAKI WRIGHT

Life is a set of events that don’t always go in your favor. The next time you are struggling with something in life, you need to remind yourself that you are not alone.

Be a Guide for Others

The very first and the most important reason why you need to share your problems and stories of struggle with other people is due to the fact that you can act as a beacon of hope for them. Struggling is a part of life, but it doesn’t mean that you have to suffer alone.

Allows You to Practice Courage

Admitting your failures and problems takes a lot of courage as you are showing your weakness to other people. However, if you open up in front of other people and show them who you really are, you can make a very good bond with them.

Get People to Support You

It doesn’t matter who you are; everyone in the world likes being loved and backed up. There is huge power in finding out that there are people who trust you to achieve great things, and it motivates you to go one step ahead in your ventures.

If you share your problems and hardships with other people, they are going to develop a soft corner for you and see how difficult your life is. When the time comes, they will be cheering for you and supporting you to achieve greater things in life.

You can even get guidance with telephone psychic readings if there isn’t anyone in your life you feel comfortable sharing with.

Remember the Lesson You Learned

Another benefit of sharing your problems with other people is that it is going to help you realize what you learned from it. There are always going to be some challenges in life, which you need to face with your head-on.

Keeps You Humble 

Last but not least, humility is an important quality that every human being needs to exhibit. If you look at your past and see from where you started and where you have come, it will give you a perspective on life.

The moment you start sharing your problems with other people, you are going to feel gratuitous by hearing yourself out loud.  

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Sharing with friends and family may not always be best

Of course you can share your feelings and worries with your friends and family, this is your support network, but be very mindful of how anything you share with them could affect your relationship in the future.

Bear in mind that whoever you share with can't be unbiased due to their feelings for you. Also, any advice they give, however well-meaning, will be based on their own beliefs, values and opinions and may not be right for you.

Your friends will hate to see you hurting and will want to make it better. But remember that what they would do in your situation is not necessarily what you should do. Before acting on the advice of friends make sure that it feels right for you and that you have considered the consequences to you and those around you.

You could consult a counsellor, therapist or life coach and they would be able to offer you support that would be objective and non-judgemental.

Professionals such as these will work with you and encourage you to find your own solutions that fit right for you. Just being empowered to find your own answers can give you the strength you need to move forward.

Not everyone feels comfortable talking to a stranger or may not be able to afford to seek the help of a professional. A lot of coaches and therapists offer advice through their websites or in articles such as this one, and sometimes that can be enough to help you see clearly and find your solutions.

Air out your problems with journaling

A method that I recommend for people who find it hard to share their problems or feelings with others is journaling or writing therapy.

This can be a tool in itself or a prelude to seeking further therapy or coaching. Airing a problem on paper can be extremely therapeutic and although it can't replace the support of coaching, counselling or therapy, it can have a very positive effect on your approach to any issues you may be facing.

Problems, worries, arguments, feelings and questions which are written down, rather than swirling around in your head, are much easier to tackle. Something that can seem quite scary when you are going over it in your mind can seem much less daunting when aired onto the page. It can make the problem seem more like an external situation and this can make it easier to view the situation rationally and objectively.

You don't need to have a specific problem before you try writing therapy or journaling. Making the time to write a daily journal of your thoughts and feelings can help reduce stress and avoid the negative effects that stress can have on your health and wellbeing.

Writing a daily journal in this way can be useful to clear your mind of distractions before important events such as exams, or help during times of change like moving house, and even as a way of unblocking your creativity.

For more information and advice on writing therapy and journaling , please feel free to leave a comment below or contact me directly!

Stephan Diablo

Thanks Ruth, I do think that sharing with others close to you can be counter-productive sometimes. I have had really bad advice given to me lots of times that I have followed... and regretted. Sigh. But journalling sounds like a plan :)

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French teenagers on a boat in the Seine river, Paris, 1988. Photo by David Alan Harvey/Magnum

Bad friends

Even the best of friends can fill you with tension and make you sick. why does friendship so readily turn toxic.

by Carlin Flora   + BIO

Think of a time when you sat across from a friend and felt truly understood. Deeply known. Maybe you sensed how she was bringing out your ‘best self’, your cleverest observations and wittiest jokes. She encouraged you. She listened, articulated one of your patterns, and then gently suggested how you might shift it for the better. The two of you gossiped about your mutual friends, skipped between shared memories, and delved into cherished subjects in a seamlessly scripted exchange full of shorthand and punctuated with knowing expressions. Perhaps you felt a warm swell of admiration for her, and a simultaneous sense of pride in your similarity to her. You felt deep satisfaction to be valued by someone you held in such high regard: happy, nourished and energised through it all.

These are the friendships that fill our souls, and bolster and shape our identities and life paths. They have also been squeezed into social science labs enough times for us to know that they keep us mentally and physically healthy: good friends improve immunity , spark creativity , drop our blood pressure , ward off dementia among the elderly , and even decrease our chances of dying at any given time. If you feel you can’t live without your friends, you’re not being melodramatic.

But even our easiest and richest friendships can be laced with tensions and conflicts, as are most human relationships. They can lose a bit of their magic and fail to regain it, or even fade out altogether for tragic reasons, or no reason at all. Then there are the not-so-easy friendships; increasingly difficult friendships; and bad, gut-wrenching, toxic friendships. The pleasures and benefits of good friends are abundant, but they come with a price. Friendship, looked at through a clear and wide lens, is far messier and more lopsided than it is often portrayed.

The first cold splash on an idealised notion of friendship is the data showing that only about half of friendships are reciprocal . This is shocking to people, since research confirms that we actually assume nearly all our friendships are reciprocal. Can you guess who on your list of friends wouldn’t list you?

One explanation for imbalance is that many friendships are aspirational : a study of teens shows that people want to be friends with popular people, but those higher up the social hierarchy have their pick (and skew the average). A corroborating piece of evidence, which was highlighted by Steven Strogatz in a 2012 article in The New York Times, is the finding that your Facebook ‘friends’ always have, on average, more ‘friends’ than you do. So much for friendship being an oasis from our status-obsessed world.

‘Ambivalent’ relationships, in social science parlance, are characterised by interdependence and conflict. You have many positive and negative feelings toward these people. You might think twice about picking up when they call. These relationships turn out to be common, too. Close to half of one’s important social network members are identified as ambivalent. Granted, more of those are family members (whom we’re stuck with) than friends, but still, for friendship, it’s another push off the pedestal.

Friends who are loyal, reliable, interesting companions – good! – can also be bad for you, should they have other qualities that are less desirable. We know through social network research that depressed friends make it more likely you’ll be depressed, obese friends make it more likely you’ll become obese, and friends who smoke or drink a lot make it more likely you’ll smoke and drink more.

Other ‘good’ friends might have, or start to have, goals, values or habits that misalign with your current or emerging ones. They certainly haven’t ‘done’ anything to you. But they aren’t a group that validates who you are, or that will effortlessly lift you up toward your aims over time. Stay with them, and you’ll be walking against the wind.

In addition to annoying us, these mixed-bag friendships harm our health. A 2003 study by Julianne Holt-Lunstad from Brigham Young University and Bert Uchino from the University of Utah asked people to wear blood-pressure monitors and write down interactions with various people. Blood pressure was higher with ambivalent relationships than it was with friends or outright enemies. This is probably due to the unpredictability of these relationships, which leads us to be vigilant: Will Jen ruin Christmas this year? Ambivalent relationships have also been associated with increased cardiovascular reactivity, greater cellular ageing , lowered resistance to stress, and a decreased sense of wellbeing.

One research team, though, found that ambivalent friendships might have benefits in the workplace. They showed that in these pairings workers are more likely to put themselves in the other’s shoes, in part because they are trying to figure out what the relationship means and what it is. Also, because ambivalent friendships make you feel uncertain about where you stand, they can push you to work harder to establish your position.

‘Frenemies’ are perhaps a separate variety in that they are neatly multi-layered – friendliness atop rivalry or dislike – as opposed to the ambivalent relationship’s admixture of love, hate, annoyance, pity, devotion and tenderness. Plenty of people have attested to the motivating force of a frenemy at work, as well as in the realms of romance and parenting.

A s with unhappy families, there are countless ways a friend can be full-on ‘bad’, no ambivalence about it. Susan Heitler, a clinical psychologist in Denver, and Sharon Livingston, a psychologist and marketing consultant in New York, have studied the issue, and found some typical qualities: a bad friend makes you feel competitive with her other friends; she talks much more about herself than you do about yourself; she criticises you in a self-righteous way but is defensive when you criticise her; she makes you feel you’re walking on eggshells and might easily spark her anger or disapproval; she has you on an emotional rollercoaster where one day she’s responsive and complimentary and the next she freezes you out.

In 2014 , a team at Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh found that, as the amount of negativity in relationships increased for healthy women aged over 50, so did their risk of developing hypertension. Negative social interactions – incidents including excessive demands, criticism, disappointment and disagreeable exchanges – were related to a 38 per cent increased risk. For men, there was no link between bad relationships and high blood pressure. This is likely because women care more about, and are socialised to pay more attention to, relationships.

Negative interactions can lead to inflammation, too, in both men and women. Jessica Chiang, a researcher at the University of California, Los Angeles, who conducted a study showing as much, has said that an accumulation of social stressors could cause physical damage, just like an actual toxin.

Some of our most hurtful friendships start out good, but then became bad. Among teens, for example, the rates of cyber aggression are 4.3 times higher between friends than between friends of friends. Or as Diane de Poitiers, the 16th-century mistress of King Henry II of France, said: ‘To have a good enemy, choose a friend: he knows where to strike.’

The writer Robert Greene addresses the slippery slope in his book The 48 Laws of Power (1998). Bringing friends into your professional endeavours can aid the gradual crossover from ‘good’ to ‘bad’, he warns, in part because of how we react to grand favours:

Strangely enough, it is your act of kindness that unbalances everything. People want to feel they deserve their good fortune. The receipt of a favour can become oppressive: it means you have been chosen because you are a friend, not necessarily because you are deserving. There is almost a touch of condescension in the act of hiring friends that secretly afflicts them. The injury will come out slowly: a little more honesty, flashes of resentment and envy here and there, and before you know it your friendship fades.

Ah – so too much giving and ‘a little more honesty’ are friendship-disrupters? That conclusion, which runs counter to the ethos of total openness and unlimited generosity between friends, provides a clue as to why there are so many ‘bad’, ‘good and bad’, and ‘good, then bad’ friends. In his paper ‘The Evolution of Reciprocal Altruism’ (1971), the evolutionary biologist Robert Trivers concludes that ‘each individual human is seen as possessing altruistic and cheating tendencies’, where cheating means giving at least a bit less (or taking at least a bit more) than a friend would give or take from us.

Good people do attract more friends (though being a high-status good person helps)

Trivers goes on to explain that we have evolved to be subtle cheaters, with complex mechanisms for regulating bigger cheaters and also ‘too much’ altruism. He writes:

In gross cheating, the cheater fails to reciprocate at all, and the altruist suffers the costs of whatever altruism he has dispensed without any compensating benefit… clearly, selection will strongly favour prompt discrimination against the gross cheater. Subtle cheating, by contrast, involves reciprocating, but always attempting to give less than one was given, or more precisely, to give less than the partner would give if the situation were reversed.

The rewarding emotion of ‘liking’ someone is also a part of this psychological regulation system, and selection will favour liking those who are altruistic: good people do attract more friends (though being a high-status good person helps). But the issue is not whether we are cheaters or altruists, good or bad, but to what degree are we each of those things in different contexts and relationships.

P erhaps this seesaw between cheating and altruism, which settles to a midpoint of 50/50, explains why 50 per cent keeps coming up in research on friends and relationships. Recall that half of our friendships are non-reciprocal, half of our social network consists of ambivalent relationships, and – to dip into the adjacent field of lie detection – the average person detects lies right around 50 per cent of the time. We evolved to be able to detect enough lies to not be totally swindled, but not enough to wither under the harsh truths of (white-lie-free) social interactions. Likewise, we’ve evolved to detect some cheating behaviours in friends, but not enough to prohibit our ability to be friends with people at all. As the seesaw wobbles, so do our friendships.

Should this sound like a complicated business to you, Trivers agrees, and in fact speculates that the development of this system for regulating altruism among non-kin members is what made our brains grow so big in the Pleistocene. Many neuroscientists agree with his conclusion: humans are smart so that we can navigate friendship.

The psychologist Jan Yager, author of When Friendship Hurts (2002), found that 68 per cent of survey respondents had been betrayed by a friend. Who are these betrayers? At such high numbers, could ‘they’ be us?

We somehow expect friendships to be forever. Friendship break-ups challenge our vision of who we are

That scary thought leads me to ask: are we really striving to forgive small sins? To air our grievances before they accumulate and blow up our friendships? To make the effort to get together? To give others the benefit of the doubt? Are we giving what we can, or keeping score? Are we unfairly expecting friends to think and believe the exact same things we do? Are we really doing the best we can? Well, maybe that’s what most of our friends think they are doing, too. And if they aren’t being a good friend, or if they have drifted away from us, or we from them, maybe we can accept these common rifts, without giving into a guilt so overwhelming that it pushes us to slap a label on those we no longer want for friends: toxic.

When a friend breaks up with us, or disappears without explanation, it can be devastating. Even though the churning and pruning of social networks is common over time, we still somehow expect friendships to be forever. Friendship break-ups challenge our vision of who we are, especially if we’ve been intertwined with a friend for many years. Pulsing with hurt in the wake of a friend break-up, we hurl him or her into the ‘bad friends’ basket.

But, sometimes, we have to drop a friend to become ourselves. In Connecting in College (2016), the sociologist Janice McCabe argues that ending friendships in young adulthood is a way of advancing our identities. We construct our self-images and personalities against our friends, in both positive and negative ways.

As much as we need to take responsibility for being better friends and for our part in relationship conflict and break-ups, quite a few factors surrounding friendship are out of our control. Social network embeddedness, where you and another person have many friends in common, for instance, is a big challenge. Let’s say someone crosses a line, but you don’t want to disturb the group, so you don’t declare that you no longer think of him as a friend. You pull back from him, but not so much that it will spark a direct confrontation, whereby people would then be forced to invite only one of you, but not both, to events. Sometimes we are yoked to bad friends.

The forces that dictate whom we stay close to and whom we let go can be mysterious even to ourselves. Aren’t there people you like very much whom you haven’t contacted in a long time? And others you don’t connect with as well whom you see more often? The former group might be pencilling you into their ‘bad friend’ column right now.

Dealing with bad friends, getting dumped by them, and feeling disappointed with them is a stressful part of life, and it can harm your body and mind. Yet having no friends at all is a far worse fate. Imagine a child’s desperation for a playmate, a teenager’s deep longing for someone who ‘gets’ her, or an adult’s realisation that there is no one with whom he can share a failure or even a success. Loneliness is as painful as extreme thirst or hunger. John Cacioppo, a professor of sociology at the University of Chicago, has found associations between loneliness and depression, obesity, alcoholism, cardiovascular problems, sleep dysfunction, high blood pressure, the progression of Alzheimer’s disease, cynical world views and suicidal thoughts. But if you have friend problems, you have friends – and that means you’re pretty lucky.

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127 Friendship Essay Topic Ideas & Examples

When you have a good friendship topic, essay writing becomes as easy as it gets. We have some for you!

📝 Friendship Essay Structure

🏆 best friendship topic ideas & essay examples, 💡 good essay topics on friendship, 🎓 simple & easy friendship essay titles, 📌 most interesting friendship topics to write about, ❓ research questions about friendship.

Describing a friend, talking about your relationship and life experiences can be quite fun! So, take a look at our topics on friendship in the list below. Our experts have gathered numerous ideas that can be extremely helpful for you. And don’t forget to check our friendship essay examples via the links.

Writing a friendship essay is an excellent way to reflect on your relationships with other people, show your appreciation for your friends, and explore what friendship means to you. What you include in your paper is entirely up to you, but this doesn’t mean that you shouldn’t structure it properly. Here is our advice on structuring an essay on friendship:

• Begin by selecting the right topic. It should be focused and creative so that you can earn a high mark. Think about what friendship means to you and write down your thoughts. Reflect on your relationship with your best friend and see if you can write an essay that incorporates these themes. If these steps didn’t help – don’t worry! Fortunately, there are many web resources that can help you choose. Browse samples of friendship essays online to see if there are any topics that interest you.
• Create a title that reflects your focus. Paper titles are important because they grasp the reader’s attention and make them want to read further. However, many people find it challenging to name their work, so you can search for friendship essay titles online if you need to.
• Once you get the first two steps right, you can start developing the structure of your essay. An outline is a great tool because it presents your ideas in a clear and concise manner and ensures that there are no gaps or irrelevant points. The most basic essay outline has three components: introduction, body, and conclusion. Type these out and move to the next step. Compose an introduction. Your introduction should include a hook, some background information, and a thesis. A friendship essay hook is the first sentence in the introduction, where you draw the reader’s attention. For instance, if you are creating an essay on value of friendship, include a brief description of a situation where your friends helped you or something else that comes to mind. A hook should make the reader want to read the rest of the essay. After the hook, include some background information on your chosen theme and write down a thesis. A thesis statement is the final sentence of the first paragraph that consists of your main argument.
• Write well-structured body paragraphs. Each body paragraph should start with one key point, which is then developed through examples, references to resources, or other content. Make sure that each of the key points relates to your thesis. It might be useful to write out all of your key points first before you write the main body of the paper. This will help you to see if any of them are irrelevant or need to be swapped to establish a logical sequence. If you are composing an essay on the importance of friendship, each point should show how a good friend can make life better and more enjoyable. End each paragraph with a concluding sentence that links it to the next part of the paper.
• Finally, compose a conclusion. A friendship essay conclusion should tie together all your points and show how they support your thesis. For this purpose, you should restate your thesis statement at the beginning of the final paragraph. This will offer your reader a nice, well-balanced closure, leaving a good impression of your work.

We hope that this post has assisted you in understanding the basic structure of a friendship paper. Don’t forget to browse our website for sample papers, essay titles, and other resources!

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• Feminism and Modern Friendship While criticizing these individuals, Marilyn asserts that the omission of sex and gender implies that these individuals wanted to affirm that social attachment such as societies, families, and nationalities contribute to identity rather than sex […]
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• Friendship is in Everyone’s Life Though, different books were written in different times, the descriptions of a friendship have the same essence and estimate that one cannot be completely satisfied with his/her life if one does not have a friend.
• Intimacy, Love and Friendship and how they translate to employability The use of love and its conventions in the NAB campaigns is an illustration of how love as a concept can be used to translate to employability.
• Intimacy, Love and Friendship In the past, women in Australia led a life characterized by a lot of hardships because of the harsh traditions that they were supposed to follow.
• Contemporary Understanding of Intimacy and Friendship The Social Network film discusses how Facebook was developed and the challenges of developing the giant social site. Many people are of the view that Facebook has the effect of enslaving them by making their […]
• Friendship’s meaning around the world Globally it’s very ludicrous today for people to claim that they are in a friendship yet they do not even know the true meaning of friendship.
• Interpretation of Friendship among Confucian and Neo-Confucian writers In his article “The Fifth Relationship; Dangerous Friendships in the Confucian Context”, Norman Kutcher explores the friendship as outlined under the Confucian system. The above writers have different interpretations of friendship of the under the […]
• Why International Students Find It Hard to Make Friends On the other hand, in societies that promote a high power distance, less powerful individuals accept their position in the chain of command and acknowledge the strengths of their superiors in the hierarchy.
• Gender Stereotyping and Friendship: Women Relationships The most interesting about this article is its ending which states that” the core of a friendship has to have more in-person interactions and experience”.
• The Impact of Friendship in the Epic of Gilgamesh The elusive coalition between Enkidu and Gilgamesh, their fateful destinies and eventual epiphanies broaden the societal apprehension of the elements/value of friendship as expounded in the next discussion.
• Woman Intimacy and Friendship with the Appearance of Social Media The anonymity provided by the social media makes this medium very appealing to both women and men as they are able to “reconstruct” themselves to a level they deem “cool” enough to garner more desired […]
• Faux Friendship and Social Networking The modern-day relationships have dissolved the meaning of the word friendship; as aromatic lovers refer to each other as friends, parents want their children to think of them as friends, teachers, clergymen and bosses have […]
• Friendship Type – Companionship Relationship A friendship is ideally not an obsession since the latter involves a craving for another person that might even lead to violence just to be in site of the other party.
• Aristotle’s Ideas on Civic Relationships: Happiness, the Virtues, Deliberation, Justice, and Friendship On building trust at work, employers are required to give minimum supervision to the employees in an effort to make the latter feel a sense of belonging and responsibility.
• Gender Role Development and Friendship As far as the conflict goes, the boy’s main problem is that he is unwilling to change his behavior towards a socially accepted one under the pretext that girls are more beautiful and, therefore, it […]
• Article Study on the Friendship Concept In the critical review article, the views of Norman Kutcher on the formation of friendships are discussed in detail. In this article, the views of other scholars are discussed in order to strengthen the works […]
• Henry Thoreau: The Concept of the Friendship Not every person is able to understand the essence of nature, its uniqueness, and importance. To my mind, his close connection to nature and a kind of isolation from people helped him to understand deeper […]
• Why Honesty Is Important In A Friendship
• The Truth and Friendship in the Movie Camelot
• A Discussion About the Value of Friendship as Portrayed in Damon and Pythias
• What Is the Meaning of True Friendship
• A Literary Analysis of Friendship in Julius Caesar by William Shakespeare
• Factors Contributing to the Ups and Downs of Friendship in Knowles’ A Separate Peace
• Friendship and Love in the Little Prince
• Confidantes, Marriage, and Friendship in Pride and Prejudice
• What Makes A Successful Friendship
• Understanding Friendship Through The Staircase Model
• An Analysis of Friendship and Rejection in The Heart is a Lonely Hunter by Carson McCullers
• A Discussion on the Different Types of Friendship
• An Analysis of Friendship in Lord of the Flies by William Golding
• A Literary Analysis of Friendship in a Separate Peace by John Knowles
• An Analysis of the Concept of Friendship in A Separate Piece by John Knowles
• A Separate Peace and Of Mice and Men – Real Friendship
• The Theme of True Friendship in the Book of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck
• The Value of Friendship in Great Expectations
• What Makes A Good Friendship
• The Theme of Friendship in Separate Ways by Higuchi Ichiyo and Uncanny Stories by SongLing
• Virtual Friendship and the New Narcissism
• The Waltz Of Sociability : Intimacy, Dislocation And Friendship
• The True Meaning of the Word Friendship
• A Description of Impartiality, Beneficence and Friendship According to Lawrence Blum
• Aristotle ‘s Views On Friendship
• Friendship and Courage in The Old Man and the Sea by Ernest Hemingway
• An Analysis of Friendship and Loyalty in the Film The Deer Hunter
• Turning Away from True Friendship
• Different Types of Friendship and The Need for Friends
• An Analysis of the Dangers of Friendship
• The Victorian Female Friendship and Homosexual References in Emily Dickinson’s Work
• What Is Friendship And How Is God Man ‘s Best Friend?
• The Venerable Kassapa Thera: A Living Symbol of Dedication, Courage, Altruism and Intimate Friendship
• “The Undoing Project: A Friendship that Changed Our Minds” by Michael Lewis
• Building from Happiness to Friendship
• What Do You Think Steinbeck Says About the Theme of Friendship in of Mice and Men
• Distributive Justice and the Problem of Friendship
• How Does Shakespeare Demonstrate That Love and Friendship Can Overcome Greed in the Merchant of Venice?
• Does Borrowing Money From Friends Harm Friendship?
• Can Friendship Be Defined by Any Scientific Criteria?
• How Can Enduring Happiness Arise From Friendship?
• Does Campus Diversity Promote Friendship Diversity?
• Is There Any Objection to the Teacher Establishing a Friendship Relationship With the Students?
• How Do Children Cope With Friendship and Death After Reading Charlottes Web?
• Does Ragging Develop Friendship?
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• Should Becoming Friends With Benefits Ruin Your Friendship?
• How Does the Nature of Children’s Friendship Change With Age?
• Do Friendships Vary Across Countries?
• What Are Friends for and How Can a Friendship Be Tested?
• How Does the Theme of Loneliness Affect the Friendship and Relationships in “Of Mice and Men”?
• What Are the Elements That Build a Strong Friendship?
• How Does Friendship Help Students Succeed in the University?
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• What Individual and Country-Level Factors Might Interact With Friendship Importance to Predict Health and Well-Being?
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Greater Good Science Center • Magazine • In Action • In Education

When Teens Need Their Friends More Than Their Parents

For many parents, the truth is hard to admit: Adolescents begin to rely less and less upon the adults in their lives and more heavily on their peers. Starting to let go is difficult. But teens’ reliance on buddies is good for their development and sense of belonging.

A new study found that this is especially true in the immediate aftermath of a stressful event, like failing a test. Researchers from Australia’s Murdoch and Griffith universities surveyed teens in real time throughout the day and found that, after something bad happens, they cope better emotionally when they’re with peers rather than with adults.

“Being among peers during times of stress may offer adolescents an open, supportive and rewarding space which may help dampen the emotional turbulence that adolescence can bring,” the researchers write.

They collected data from 108 boys and girls ages 13 to 16, who attend a socioeconomically disadvantaged school in Western Australia. Five times a day, for seven days, the teens completed online surveys sent to their smartphones during and after school, though not during class periods.

Each survey asked the question, “Since you were last messaged, has anything bad happened to you?” The teens rated their recent experience between 1 (“Sort of bad”) and 5 (“Very bad”) and offered a brief description of it. They also reported how happy, sad, lonely, jealous, and worried they were feeling, and whom they were with.

Lead study author Bep Uink said that while the participants experienced “typical adolescent stressors” like breaking up with a partner or failing a test, they also reported additional stressors, such as being pressured into sex, facing racism, recovering from a fight, living in one home while siblings live in another, being responsible for getting younger siblings to school, and working night shifts to earn extra income.

They consistently found that teens who were with (or were communicating online with) friends in the time immediately following a stressful event reported lower levels of sadness, jealousy, and worry—and higher levels of happiness—than those alone or with adults. Whether they were with friends in-person or online didn’t seem to matter.

“Friends seem to be an ‘emotional tonic’—at least in the short term,” study co-author Dr. Kathryn Modecki says. 
 These benefits—from being with friends (vs. family) after a stressor—seemed to be even more pronounced for girls than boys. Girls’ interactions often entail talking with one another, Uink explains, while boys frequently interact during a physical activity. “ Girls expect to receive more peer support than boys ,” she says, whereas boys are “less likely to be chatting in small groups, overall.” 


How do peers comfort each other? “Social support and distraction may be some of the ways that peers help youth navigate the ‘ups and downs’ of daily life,” speculates Uink. In other words, peers can encourage teens, cajole them out of a bad mood, or simply take their mind off worries.

While educators, parents, and other adults may feel responsible for soothing teens’ stress, Uink also encourages them to help young teens cultivate their power to help each other. This might mean learning social skills like kindness , empathy , or compassion .

Uink, who undertook the study as part of her Ph.D. dissertation, emphasizes the importance of studying lower-income youth, who are typically underrepresented in research.

“Economically disadvantaged youths report higher rates of exposure to daily stressors,” she and her colleagues write in the International Journal of Behavioral Development —so these findings are particularly relevant to their lives.

About the Author

Jenn director knudsen.

Jenn Director Knudsen co-owns 2B Writing Company . She holds a master's from UC Berkeley's Graduate School of Journalism. When not writing, she is busy with her two teenage daughters.

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A friendship essay is precisely what it sounds like: a paper that students write to describe their relationships with their mates.  It is among the many assignments that students are given in their college institutions.  Writing essays about friendship is a great way to analyze what the connection means to you and reflect on some of your encounters. It can also be used as a tool to improve your closeness and affection. This blog post offers tips you may consider while writing your paper and its outline. It features friendship essay examples that help generate ideas that form the primary focus of your paper.  If you are not ready to waste your time on essay writing, StudyCrumb is here to offer affordable prices and professional writers.

What Is a Friendship Essay?

The definition of friendship essay is quite clear and straightforward. A paper about friends can be described as a write-up on a relationship between two or more people. This interpretation makes it easier to obtain the meaning of friendship essay.  Writing such thematic essay will help you communicate your feelings as well as your thoughts. It allows you to recollect your memories about different encounters you have had in life. It will also help you evaluate qualities of your connection.  While writing, you may have a sequence of events starting from your meet-up, activities you have done together, and how you have sustained the connection. Preparing an essay about friendship can evoke memories from your past that may have been long forgotten.

Purpose of an Essay on Friendship

This kind of essay aims to help you explore its nature and form, its pros and cons, and its role in your life. The importance of friendship essay is that it acts as a reflective tool. It helps you realize the significance of creating and maintaining good relationships with friends. It also explains how these connections contribute to your overall wellness. In addition, an article about friendship may teach you to understand that true friendship is priceless and should stand the test of time.

Ideas to Write a Friendship Essay on

Writing essays about friendship is a more manageable task than drafting a paper about a topic that may require more detailed research. Any excellent essay about true friendship starts with an idea that you can examine.  Below are some unique ideas you can explore:

• What is friendship?
• What does friendship mean to me?
• The value of friendship you cherish in your life.
• Cross-cultural friendships.
• The role of friendship in mental health maintenance.

As you reflect on your relationship with your friend, see if you can write a paper incorporating these themes. Remember to choose an idea that interests you and is relevant to your personal experiences or research. Be sure to support your arguments with evidence and examples from real-life situations, literature, or academic research. Look through our definition essay topics or persuasive essay ideas to find a theme that suits your task best.

Friendship Essay Outline

An essay outline about friendship is a summary of what your write-up will contain but in a less detailed format. You use it to organize and structure your content logically and effectively. It presents the main topics and subtopics hierarchically, allowing writers to see the connection between different parts of the material. The importance of an outline lies in its ability to help writers plan, organize, as well as clarify their ideas. This makes the writing of an essay about friends more efficient, and the final product is more coherent and effective. Here is an example of an outline for a friendship essay.

• Briefly introduce the topic of friendship
• Provide a thesis statement that summarizes the main points of the essay
• Topic sentence
• Your main argument
• Real-life examples that support your key idea
• Supporting evidence
• 3rd Body Paragraph
• Examples or recommendations
• Summarize the main points
• Provide some food for thought

Note that this is a general outline. The exact structure and content of your essay will depend on the specific requirements of your assignment and your personal interests.

Structure of a Friendship Essay

The structure of an essay on friendship typically includes the following three parts.

• Introduction An introduction should grab the reader's attention and provide background information. It should also include a clear thesis statement that sets a path and direction of the friendship essays.
• Body The essay's body is where you will provide evidence and details to underpin your thesis statement. It should consist of several paragraphs supporting and developing a statement of purpose. Each paragraph should focus on a specific aspect of your friendliness, such as its importance, benefits, or challenges.
• Conclusion Briefly summarize the essay's main points and reinforce your principal argument. The conclusion should leave a lasting impression on readers and emphasize your topic's significance. Overall, the structure should be clear and well-organized, allowing the audience to follow your argument and understand the topic's significance.

Friendship Essay Introduction

A good introduction about friendship essay should grab the reader's attention and encourage them to continue reading. This can be achieved through a " hook ," a quote, an interesting fact, or a thought-provoking question. Background information can then be provided to give context to the discussed topic.  The introduction to an essay about friendship should also clearly state your main point or argument of the piece, known as thesis statement. This sets pace for the rest of the paper and gives readers a clear view of what to expect. A friendship essay introduction should be concise, engaging, and provide context for the audience to understand the content fully.

Read more: How to Start off an Essay

Friendship Essay Introduction Example

Here is an example of a friendship essay introduction that sets the stage for a reflective and thought-provoking exploration of the most precious gift in life.

Friendship is a special bond that unites two individuals with common interests, experiences, and emotions. It makes life easier and contributes to our happiness. It is a relationship that transcends race, religion, and socio-economic status and has power to sustain and uplift the spirit of humans. In this essay, I will explore its benefits and how it can contribute to a better world. Through personal anecdotes, I will illustrate the bond's depth and role in our day-to-day lives.

Friendship Essay Thesis Statement

The friendship thesis statement aims to provide a summary of the essay's main point. It can be one or two sentences which you develop as you research. The statement of purpose should focus on the central argument and be supported by evidence presented in the body. The thesis statement about friendship should guide the essay's structure. Its main objective is to provide your reader with a roadmap to follow. It should be specific, concise, and accurately reflect the content in your paper. Understanding what constitutes a strong thesis is crucial for writers as it is integral to every essay writing process.

Friendship Thesis Statement Example

The thesis statement must be clear to readers so that they may quickly recognize it and comprehend the paper's significance. It should act as a blueprint of what to expect. A friendship thesis statement sample could be:

In this essay, I will explore friendship's meaning, its importance, benefits, drawbacks, and how it can contribute to a better world. Through a series of personal anecdotes, I will illustrate the bond's depth and its key role in our lives.

Friendship Essay Body

The body part should include five or more paragraphs. Students will use body paragraphs to elaborate on the key factors that make their connection special.

• Definition and explanation. This friendship body paragraph should start with a definition and a brief explanation of its characteristics and qualities.
• Importance of friends. Discuss why it is vital in your life and how it contributes to personal growth and welfare.
• Types of friendships. A paragraph about friendship should discuss different types of friend's relationships that exist.
• Qualities of a good friend. Discuss standards a great confidant should possess.
• Challenges. Discuss the common problems that friends face.
• Ways to strengthen friendship. Provide tips on reinforcing and maintaining good relationships.
• Conclusion. Sum up the key points made in your essay and reiterate the importance of genuine bonds in life.

Friendship Body Paragraph Example

Below is a friendship body paragraph sample.

How to Spend Free Time with Friends • Outdoor Activities. Spending time in nature is a great way to bond with friends. You can meet, then go for a hike, take a walk, or go to a picnic in a park. This allows you to connect and enjoy the beautiful world around you. • Movie Night. Watching a movie is another fun activity you can do with friends. You can share popcorn, grab snacks, and enjoy a movie together. This is a great way to relax and unwind. • Board Games. Playing board games with friends is a fun and interactive way to spend free time. You can play classic games like Monopoly. This is a great way to challenge each other and have a good time.

Friendship Essay Conclusion

Any conclusion on a friendship essay should sum up the main ideas discussed in your essay and restate the thesis statement. It should leave a lasting impression and provide a closure to your topic. To start writing a conclusion about a friendship essay, commence by rephrasing the thesis statement in different words. Summarize the points discussed in your essay by connecting them back to your statement of purpose. End conclusion with a final thought or call to action that leaves a lasting impression on your reader.  It is vital to keep it concise yet impactful. Avoid introducing new information or arguments, as it can confuse readers. Instead, focus on tying up loose ends and emphasizing main ideas discussed in your essay.

Read more: How to Conclude an Essay

Friendship Essay Conclusion Sample

Here is an example of a friendship essay conclusion:

In conclusion, friendship is an essential aspect of our lives that brings joy, support, and companionship. It is a relationship built on mutual trust, understanding, and love. A true friend will always be there for you, no matter what. As humans, we need sincere friends to help us navigate life's ups and downs and provide emotional support. An understanding friend can withstand any obstacle and bring happiness to our lives. The connection is meant to last a lifetime, whether through shared experiences, interests, or simply a common bond. Ultimately, having a close group of loyal friends who truly care for us is one of the greatest gifts we can receive in life.

How to Write an Essay on Friendship?

To write an essay about friendship, start by brainstorming ideas about what friends mean to you and the benefits of such kinds of relationships. Knowing how to write a good essay about friendship involves selecting a great topic and arranging your content in a manner that has logical flow.

1. Come Up With a Topic About Friendship

To brainstorm essay topics on friendship, consider the following.

• Reflect on your own experiences. Think about your own bonds and encounters you have had with allies. Avoid bad occurrences. This can inspire topics to explore in your essay. To find a subject that interests you, you can also look through internet examples of friend essays.
• Ask questions related to friends, such as "What makes a meaningful connection?" or "How does the quality of your bond change over time?"
• Talk to others. Ask friends, family, or classmates about their experiences. They may have interesting insights that can inspire new topics for your essay.

Ensure that topic you select is appropriate for your report style. For example: 

The Day my Best Friend Changed My Life.

You can start this topic by how you met, narrate your story, and then pick out some attributes of a good friend and the advantages of the relationship. Remember to choose a topic on friendship essay that you feel passionate about and can explore in depth in your essay.

2. Do Research

To research and collect information for the friend essay, follow these steps.

• Start with a general search. Use search engines like Google to find articles, books, and other resources on affection.
• Identify keywords. Determine the most relevant keywords for your essay, such as "essay about a friend." Use them in your search to narrow down results to the most pertinent information.
• Evaluate sources. When you have a list of potential sources, evaluate each to determine their credibility and relevance. Look for sources that are written by experts in the field and that have been peer-reviewed or published in reputable journals.
• Take notes. As you read, take notes on the most important and relevant information.

3. Develop a Friendship Essay Outline

An outline is a useful tool for organizing ideas in an essay and it ensures that your essay has a structure. Before outlining you need to have a clear vision of what your essay will focus on. Then analyze every piece of information that you have and categorize it into headings. An outline of an essay about friendships will comprise a list which consists of each paragraph’s topic sentence . By going through the outline, you are able to examine what purpose each paragraph serves. If you need assistance on how to create an outline for a college essay about friendship use the outline example shown below.

4. Write an Essay on Friendship

Writing an essay about friendship is an exciting task. Below is a sample of how you can write your friendship essay. Friendship is the bond between two or more individuals based on mutual trust, support, and understanding. This connection can develop at any stage of life and even last a lifetime. It is a bond that fills our lives with comfort, laughter, and advice during a hard period. Many different factors can contribute to its formation and success. Having similar needs, mutual interests, and social activities can help sustain the relationship. Another crucial aspect is being ready to support each other through happy and difficult times unconditionally. Trust is also an essential component in the longevity of this connection. In conclusion, friendship is an invaluable treasure that brings joy, comfort, and support to our lives. It provides a safe place in a world that can be harsh and unforgiving. It reminds us that we should always stay true to each other.

5. Proofread Your Friendship Essay

When writing a friendship essay, consider the following for an effective introduction.

• Grab your reader's attention. A good introduction makes them want to continue reading your friendship essay.
• Provide context. Give an overview of the friendship essay and its purpose. This will make readers interested in your work.
• Establish your purpose. Clearly state the main idea or thesis.
• Preview the main points. Briefly summarize key points that will be covered.
• Be concise. An introduction should be short and on point, generally no more than one or two paragraphs.

Remember, your introduction will set tone for the rest of your piece and should encourage your readers to continue reading.

Read more: Essay About Happiness : Tips & Examples

Friendship Essay Examples

A sample essay about friendship can be critical to students, especially when they are researching and collecting information. Free friendship essays help you get ideas on how to write and structure your essay. Below are essay examples about friendship that you can go through to help with your writing and draw inspiration from. Friendship essay example 1

Friendship essay example 2

Essay about friendship sample 3

Example of essay on friendship 4

Friendship Essay Writing Tips

Here are some extra tips you need to know that will motivate you to write a friendship short essay.

• You could start with a quote, an anecdote, or a surprising fact.
• Use examples from your own life to illustrate your points in your school college essay about friendship, as this will make your essay more relatable and interesting to read.
• Friendship titles for essays should be clear and straightforward. They should also reflect your main points.
• Describe the aspect of the bond that, in your opinion, is most crucial. It is possible to personalize something that means an entirely different thing to various individuals.

Bottom Line on Friendship Essay Writing

Your central task is to understand what is a friendship essay even before you start writing. Friendship essays explore the nature of our relationships and their various aspects. They can take various forms, from short reflective essays to longer, more analytical pieces. These papers can discuss qualities that make a good friend, the benefits of your relationship, or challenges of maintaining close relationships. Examples of short essays about friendship could be a personal reflection, exploring the unique bond between the writer and their friend and what they hope to continue gaining from each other when they cross paths in future. If you struggle with other papers, feel free to check out our writing guides. From an essay about bullying to a world peace essay , we’ve got you covered.

FAQ About Friendship Essay

1. may i use friendship quotes for the essay.

Yes, it is always a winning step. You can write an essay on friendship with quotes either as the title of your essay or as an introductory phrase. You can also include it in the body of your work while narrating your story.

2. How to write a hook for an essay of friendship?

An essay should hook your reader's attention and make them want to read your story. When writing essays about friendship, you can describe a unique situation in which your friends helped you. You can also end your introduction with a catchy quote, such as Squad goals! Some other quotes that you can use include:

• A road to a friend's house is never long.
• Count your age with friends and years.
• True friend is seen through the heart, not through the eyes.

3. Explain the importance of friendship essay.

The importance of friendship essay is that it teaches students to express their thoughts and feelings about confidants and benefits they obtain from this connection. It also acts as a reflective tool. Friend essays also help students realize advantages of creating and maintaining good relationships with friends and how these linkages contribute to your overall wellness and welfare.

Daniel Howard is an Essay Writing guru. He helps students create essays that will strike a chord with the readers.

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Essays About Friendships: Top 6 Examples and 8 Prompts

Friendships are one of life’s greatest gifts. To write a friendship essay, make this guide your best friend with its essays about friendships plus prompts.

Every lasting relationship starts with a profound friendship. The foundations that keep meaningful friendships intact are mutual respect, love, laughter, and great conversations. Our most important friendships can support us in our most trying times. They can also influence our life for the better or, the worse, depending on the kind of friends we choose to keep. 

As such, at an early age, we are encouraged to choose friends who can promote a healthy, happy and productive life. However, preserving our treasured friendships is a lifelong process that requires investments in time and effort.

6 Informative Essay Examples

1. the limits of friendships by maria konnikova, 2. friendship by ralph waldo emerson, 3. don’t confuse friendships and business relationships by jerry acuff, 4. a 40-year friendship forged by the challenges of busing by thomas maffai, 5. how people with autism forge friendships by lydia denworth, 6.  friendships are facing new challenges thanks to the crazy cost of living by habiba katsha , 1. the importance of friendship in early childhood development, 2. what makes a healthy friendship, 3. friendships that turn into romance, 4. long-distance friendship with social media, 5. dealing with a toxic friendship, 6. friendship in the workplace, 7. greatest friendships in literature, 8. friendships according to aristotle .

…”[W]ithout investing the face-to-face time, we lack deeper connections to them, and the time we invest in superficial relationships comes at the expense of more profound ones.”

Social media is challenging the Dunbar number, proving that our number of casual friends runs to an average of 150. But as we expand our social base through social media, experts raise concerns about its effect on our social skills, which effectively develop through physical interaction.

“Friendship requires that rare mean betwixt likeness and unlikeness, that piques each with the presence of power and of consent in the other party.”

The influential American essayist Emerson unravels the mysteries behind the divine affinity that binds a friendship while laying down the rules and requirements needed to preserve the fellowship. To Emerson, friendship should allow a certain balance between agreement and disagreement. You might also be interested in these articles about best friends .

“Being friendly in business is necessary but friendships in business aren’t. That’s an important concept. We can have a valuable business relationship without friendship. Unfortunately, many mistakenly believe that the first step to building a business relationship is to develop a friendship.”

This essay differentiates friends from business partners. Using an anecdote, the essay warns against investing too much emotion and time in building friendships with business partners or customers, as such an approach may be futile in increasing sales.

“As racial tensions mounted around them, Drummer and Linehan developed a close connection—one that bridged their own racial differences and has endured more than four decades of evolving racial dynamics within Boston’s schools. Their friendship als­o served as a public symbol of racial solidarity at a time when their students desperately needed one.”

At a time when racial discrimination is at its highest, the author highlights a friendship they built and strengthened at the height of tensions during racial desegregation. This friendship proves that powerful interracial friendships can still be forged and separate from the politics of race.

“…15-year-old Massina Commesso worries a lot about friendship and feeling included. For much of her childhood, Massina had a neurotypical best friend… But as they entered high school, the other friend pulled away, apparently out of embarrassment over some of Massina’s behavior.”

Research debunks the myth that people with autism naturally detest interaction — evidence suggests the opposite. Now, research is shedding more light on the unique social skills of people with autism, enabling society to find ways to help them find true friendships. 

“The cost of living crisis is affecting nearly everyone, with petrol, food and electricity prices all rising. So understandably, it’s having an impact on our friendships too.”

People are now more reluctant to dine out with friends due to the rapidly rising living costs. Friendships are being tested as friends need to adjust to these new financial realities and be more creative in cultivating friendships through lower-cost get-togethers.

8 Topic Prompts on Essays About Friendships

More than giving a sense of belonging, friendships help children learn to share and resolve conflicts. First, find existing research linking the capability to make and keep friends to one’s social, intellectual, and emotional development. 

Then, write down what schools and households can do to reinforce children’s people skills. Here, you can also tackle how they can help children with learning, communication, or behavioral difficulties build friendships, given how their conditions interfere with their capabilities and interactions. 

As with plants, healthy friendships thrive on fertile soil. In this essay, list the qualities that make “fertile soil” and explain how these can grow the seeds of healthy friendships. Some examples include mutual respect and the setting of boundaries. 

Then, write down how you should water and tend to your dearest friendships to ensure that it thrives in your garden of life. You can also discuss your healthy friendships and detail how these have unlocked the best version of yourself. 

Marrying your best friend is a romance story that makes everyone fall in love. However, opening up about your feelings for your best friend is risky. For this prompt, collate stories of people who boldly made the first step in taking their friendship to a new level.

Hold interviews to gather data and ask them the biggest lesson they learned and what they can share to help others struggling with their emotions for their best friend. Also, don’t forget to cite relevant data, such as this study that shows several romantic relationships started as friendships. 

It’s challenging to sustain a long-distance friendship. But many believe that social media has narrowed that distance through an online connection. In your essay, explain the benefits social media has offered in reinforcing long-distance friendships. 

Determine if these virtual connections suffice to keep the depth of friendships. Make sure to use studies to support your argument. You can also cite studies with contrasting findings to give readers a holistic view of the situation.

It could be heartbreaking to feel that your friend is gradually becoming a foe. In this essay, help your readers through this complicated situation with their frenemies by pointing out red flags that signal the need to sever ties with a friend. Help them assess when they should try saving the friendship and when they should walk away. Add a trivial touch to your essay by briefly explaining the origins of the term “frenemies” and what events reinforced its use. 

We all know that there is inevitable competition in the workplace. Added to this are the tensions between managers and employees. So can genuine friendships thrive in a workplace? To answer this, turn to the wealth of experience and insights of long-time managers and human resource experts. 

First, describe the benefits of fostering friendships in the workplace, such as a deeper connection in working toward shared goals, as well as the impediments, such as inherent competition among colleagues. Then, dig for case studies that prove or disprove the relevance and possibility of having real friends at work.

Whether it be the destructive duo like Tom Sawyer and Huckleberry Finn, or the hardworking pair of Sherlock Holmes and Dr. John Watson, focus on a literary friendship that you believe is the ultimate model of friendship goals. 

Narrate how the characters met and the progression of their interactions toward becoming a friendship. Then, describe the nature of the friendship and what factors keep it together. 

In Book VIII of his Nicomachean Ethics, Aristotle writes about three kinds of friendships: pleasure, utility, and virtue. Dive deeper into the Greek philosopher’s mind and attempt to differentiate his three types of friendships. 

Point out ideas he articulated most accurately about friendship and parts you disagree with. For one, Aristotle refutes the concept that friendships are necessarily built on likeness alone, hence his classification of friendships. Do you share his sentiments? 

Read our Grammarly review before you submit your essay to make sure it is error-free! Tip: If writing an essay sounds like a lot of work, simplify it. Write a simple 5 paragraph essay instead.

Yna Lim is a communications specialist currently focused on policy advocacy. In her eight years of writing, she has been exposed to a variety of topics, including cryptocurrency, web hosting, agriculture, marketing, intellectual property, data privacy and international trade. A former journalist in one of the top business papers in the Philippines, Yna is currently pursuing her master's degree in economics and business.

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Essay on Friendship for Students and Children

500+ words essay on friendship.

Friendship is one of the greatest bonds anyone can ever wish for. Lucky are those who have friends they can trust. Friendship is a devoted relationship between two individuals. They both feel immense care and love for each other. Usually, a friendship is shared by two people who have similar interests and feelings.

You meet many along the way of life but only some stay with you forever. Those are your real friends who stay by your side through thick and thin. Friendship is the most beautiful gift you can present to anyone. It is one which stays with a person forever.

True Friendship

A person is acquainted with many persons in their life. However, the closest ones become our friends. You may have a large friend circle in school or college , but you know you can only count on one or two people with whom you share true friendship.

There are essentially two types of friends, one is good friends the other are true friends or best friends. They’re the ones with whom we have a special bond of love and affection. In other words, having a true friend makes our lives easier and full of happiness.

Most importantly, true friendship stands for a relationship free of any judgments. In a true friendship, a person can be themselves completely without the fear of being judged. It makes you feel loved and accepted. This kind of freedom is what every human strives to have in their lives.

In short, true friendship is what gives us reason to stay strong in life. Having a loving family and all is okay but you also need true friendship to be completely happy. Some people don’t even have families but they have friends who’re like their family only. Thus, we see having true friends means a lot to everyone.

Get the huge list of more than 500 Essay Topics and Ideas

Importance of Friendship

Friendship is important in life because it teaches us a great deal about life. We learn so many lessons from friendship which we won’t find anywhere else. You learn to love someone other than your family. You know how to be yourself in front of friends.

Friendship never leaves us in bad times. You learn how to understand people and trust others. Your real friends will always motivate you and cheer for you. They will take you on the right path and save you from any evil.

Similarly, friendship also teaches you a lot about loyalty. It helps us to become loyal and get loyalty in return. There is no greater feeling in the world than having a friend who is loyal to you.

Moreover, friendship makes us stronger. It tests us and helps us grow. For instance, we see how we fight with our friends yet come back together after setting aside our differences. This is what makes us strong and teaches us patience.

Therefore, there is no doubt that best friends help us in our difficulties and bad times of life. They always try to save us in our dangers as well as offer timely advice. True friends are like the best assets of our life because they share our sorrow, sooth our pain and make us feel happy.

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Communication Challenges with Family and Friends

Natalie Staats Reiss, Ph.D. is a licensed Psychologist in the state of Ohio (License #6083). She received her Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology from ...Read More

Most of us assume that because we have spent a lot of time with a spouse, other family members, or close friends, our communication with them should be relatively easy and effortless. Our thinking probably goes something like this: "my spouse/parent/sibling/best friend knows me very well, so he or she should know what I am thinking and feeling, as well as what I mean." We are often surprised and annoyed when people who are close to us misunderstand what we are talking about. Although it’s tempting to blame the other person, the problem also begins with us.

Dr. Boaz Keysar, of the University of Chicago, has spent a career studying interpersonal communication, and has found that communicating with people we know very well is actually more difficult than communicating with people we hardly know at all. His research suggests that problems communicating with our loved ones and friends come from several different factors.

First, most people seriously overestimate their ability to communicate effectively. Keysar’s studies suggest that nearly 50% of the time when we think we are understood, we are actually wrong. Because we assume we are being understood, we don’t take the time to check whether our family and friends receive the correct message. Because we communicate with our friends and family frequently, there are multiple opportunities for being misunderstood.

Second, we tend to think that our knowledge is transparent, or known by other people. Because of the mental effort that speaking requires, it is often difficult to take another person’s perspective while we are talking. We forget that people, even those who spend a lot of time with us, might not know what we are discussing. For example, you might think that your spouse knows many of the same things as you do (because you have shared many similar experiences) and will therefore automatically follow your conversation. How many times have you said to your spouse, "I thought I told you this already?"

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Third, because we communicate with family and friends frequently, there are times when our intended message is subtle (e.g., messages that are ambiguous, sarcastic, or meant to convey emotion). Unfortunately, conveying subtle messages is usually difficult. The more subtle the message, the more likely we are to miscommunicate. Worse, the more subtle the message, the less likely we are catch a miscommunication that occurs. For example, if your best friend apologizes for being busy, and you respond "It’s hard to be a good friend", you could mean anything from "You are not being a good friend", to "I understand that you have a lot going on right now". Or, if you tell your spouse "I am happy to take care of it", you could be serious or sarcastic, depending on your intended message.

If you combine the above factors, the most challenging situations involve communicating new, subtle information to our loved ones and friends. In these situations, we often use short, ambiguous messages suggesting that the other person already knows what we are talking about.

According to Dr. Keysar, it may be difficult to completely eliminate these communication "bad habits", but being aware of our behavior can help. He recommends that we err on the side of assuming that messages we are sending are complicated and likely to be misunderstood. Particularly in an argument or an emotional discussion, check frequently with the other person to make sure that she or he is actually receiving the message that you are intending to send.

• Introduction
• How People Change
• Family Secrets
• What Is Freedom?
• Getting Through The Holidays
• For College
• Making Peace With Elderly Parents
• Impact Of Recession On Marriage
• Mixed Or Blended Families
• New Extended Family
• Perfect Family
• Personality Disorder Or Just A Horrible Person
• Husband Jealous Of My Friends And Family
• Is It Just A Name?!
• She's Lied About Everything
• My Family Is Ruining My Relationship With My Boyfriend
• My Boyfriend's Children Won't Accept Me....
• Does My Boyfriend Have Feelings For His Ex Wife?
• I Have Bulimia
• Arranged Marriage
• When Is Enough, Enough?
• Breaking Up
• Soon To Be 15 Year Old Step Daughter Who Is Physically Abusive To Family Members
• I Have Everything I Ever Wanted. Why Am I So Miserable?
• Should I Stay Or Should I Go?
• Is My Sister A Pathological Liar?
• Need Help In Building The Bridges
• Lack Of Affection And Intimacy
• Is He Seeing Someone?
• Marriage Question
• Respect + Anger Managment
• My Husband With Daughter......
• Resentment-Controlling Wife/Passive-Agressive Husband
• Getting Married, Stepsons With Awful Tempers
• Adult Son Interferes With Our Relationship
• Can My Marriage Be Saved?
• On And Off Relationship For Almost 10yrs
• I'm His 2nd Wife. Am I Destined To Play Second Fiddle To His Daughter Forever?
• How Do I Get My Husband To The Psychiatrist?
• Is It Inappropriate To Call My Daughter...
• Trying To Save 37 Years Of Marriage With My Bipolar Husband
• Alcoholism And Family
• Bipolar Obsessive Thoughts And False Memories
• Crazy Mother In Law Ruining Our Mental Health And Relationship
• Caught In The Middle Caring For Elderly Parent
• I Am A Newlywed And Need Help
• Husband's Relationship With His Children
• Substance Abuse
• Chronically Ill Non-Compliant 19 Year Old
• Child With Possible Oppositional Defiant Disorder (ODD)
• Obsession Or Excuse
• The Marriage Corner: How Can I Move Past This?
• The Marriage Corner: Do You Think My Marriage Can Be Repaired?
• I Am Only 26 Years Old
• My Boyfriend Saved A Picture Of A Girl He Slept With In Case We Split Up?
• Adoptive Mother Of 3 Children - SunFlower
• How To Handle My Mothers State Of Mind?
• Should I Fight For My Marriage?
• Why Does My Wife's Old Boyfriend Bother Me?
• How Do We Get Her To Accept Us As Part Of The Family?
• Another Woman
• Boyfriends Daughter
• How Do I Cope With A Parent Who Is Trying To Ruin Me?
• Worried About 4-year-old With Depression
• Same Views On So Much, But Can't Get Along As A Couple
• It's Me Or It's My Mother?
• Considering Divorce After Several Deaths In The Family
• Schizophrenia
• Please Help Me..
• My 19 Year Old Daughter Is Out Of Control
• My 19 Year Old Son
• I Desperately Want To Make This Work
• Marraige Life Of My Parents
• Is This Abuse And What Should I Do?
• My Girlfriend's Family Is Ruining Our Relationship
• I Feel Like I Have Failed - - May 20th 2010
• Relationship With My Bipolar And ADHD Girlfriend
• Huge Disapointment With My Husband
• I Don't Really Care About Anything. What Should I Do?
• What Should I Do?
• My Father, The Sociopath...
• What Is Wrong?
• What Should I Do With My 19 Year-Old Daughter's Anger Issue?
• Dominating Mother
• How To Help Our College Age Son With Depression And Addiction
• Personal Hygiene
• Help Me Please. What Is Going On With Me?
• Parenting A Bipolar Child, Not Quite A Child, Not Quite An Adult
• Am I Being Used?
• Is This Jealous Behaviour Normal In A Child?
• Grandson Behavior
• Husband's Addiction
• Help Or Do Nothing?
• Pregnant Again
• Are My Past Sexual Fantasies Dangerous And Unusual?
• It Is Finally An Emergency. We Need Help. Please.
• Trauma And Drama: Why Are Friends And Family Rejecting Me?
• Why Is My Mom Following Me Around To Take Over My Life?
• Does My Husband Have Bipolar Although The Doctors Said He Doesn't?
• How To Ask If The Pics Are Her?
• Did I Push Them Too Much?
• How Do You Turn Your Back On Your 19 Year Old Daughter?
• What To Do With A Dysfunctional Past
• SHOULD GRANDPARENTS INSIST ON SEEING A GRANDCHILD
• My Husband Wants To Leave Me
• My Husband No Longer Believes
• My Son's Problem
• Why Do I Beat Myself Up Over What They Think?
• Bipolar Sister, Narcissist Boyfriend
• Understanding My Son
• Worried About My Son
• Child Jealous Of Moms Relationship With Her New Husband
• This Guy I Bully
• Is There Help Out There? Lonely Mother Of Three
• Am I Depressed?
• Should I Give Up On This Marriage?
• Dealing With Demanding Mother
• Can You Give Me Some Advice Please?
• 17 Year Old Running The House
• My Needy Son Hates My Boyfriend. How Can I Avoid Choosing One Over The Other?
• Two Intelligent Adults Who Feel They Don't Have Friends
• 19 Year Old Daugter--Out Of Control
• 17 Yr Old Refuses Help With Bi-polar Disorder
• Teen In Full Retreat
• Out Of Control 16 Year Old Nephew
• I Need Help With My Sister
• Get Supported
• Forgotten Or Just Ignored?
• Dealing With A Family Member's Complete Personality Change
• Mother Showering & Sleeping In Same Bed With 5 Year Old
• Zoloft - Good Or Bad
• My Little Sister
• Unattractive Regardless, Why Bother?
• Coping With Narcissistic Behavior
• How To Deal With The Loss Of Family
• Husband's Anger
• Did I Love My Husband And Still Abuse Him Emotionally
• I Have A Hard Time Making Friends With Other Guys
• How To Communicate To A 'feeler'
• How Can I Control Morbid Jealousy
• How Can I Open Up And Become My Old Self Again?
• Advice For My Unhappily Married Friend
• How Can I Tell The Difference?
• Cannot Support Old Friend In Her Affair
• Is Something Wrong With Her?
• Need To Find A Reason For The Abuse
• Mom's Unlisted Number
• How To Help A Womanizing Friend?
• 'Extremely Controling' Wife And Passive Husband
• A Habitual Liar's Lament
• The Way Out Is Through The Door
• Drug Addict Son
• Angry At Ex-Boyfriend
• Violent Sister
• A Marriage Outside The Caste
• Seeing A Married Man
• A Mean, Verbally Abusive Woman
• Mom's Protector
• Busted By A 5-Year-Old
• Getting Along With Narcissistic Relatives
• Possibly Molested Daughter
• Dirty Niece
• Congenital Laziness
• Is Anxiety A Hereditary Factor?
• Abusive Father
• Self-Abusive Step-Daughter
• Paranoid Depression
• (Wo)man In The Middle
• Dysfunctional Family
• My Mother Is Ruining My Life
• Cowardly Stepdad
• Daughter's Violent Marriage
• My Father Dislikes Him
• Histrionic Sister-in-Law
• Personality Disordered Grandmother
• Mom's Venting
• Unhappy In An Arranged Marriage
• Toxic Parents
• Boarding School Blues
• A Situation For Tough Love?
• Depression Affects The Entire Family
• Internet Relationship
• I Want To Leave, But For The Children ...
• Public Menace
• Self-Injuring Sister
• Family Boundaries
• Dealing With Divorce
• Blossoming Paranoia?
• Trashed House
• What To Treat First?
• Love Triangle
• Problematic Parents
• Managing Priorities
• Mommy's New Boyfriend
• Busy And Wanting
• He's Not Himself
• Jealous Of My Fiance's Family
• Different Religions
• My Dad The Dictator
• My Children Aren't Speaking..
• Dogs Instead Of Children?
• My Wife Is Depressed
• Problems With My Daughter
• Anorexia Impacts The Whole Family
• Family Therapy Near Me - How To Find A Family Therapist
• Love Means Knowing How To Say You're Sorry
• Until Next Time: The Benefit Of Healthy Goodbyes
• Improve Your Relationships In Two Minutes
• When Is It Time To End A Relationship With A Lover, Friend Or Family Member?
• Learning To Navigate In-law Relationships As Newlyweds
• Working With Siblings Toward Caregiving Solutions - Part II
• When Caregiving Creates Tension Among Siblings - Part I
• Managing Tense Family Relationships During The Holidays - Part II
• Managing Tense Family Relationships During The Holidays - Part I
• What Is A Family "System?"
• Redefining The Idea Of "Relationship"
• Challenges Increase For Family Caregivers When Cognitive And Behavioral Issues Are Present
• What Keeps A Family Together?
• The Cultural Dimensions Of Family
• Cultivating Healthy Relationships Take Practice; Lots Of It
• Four Traits Of A Healthy Family
• Eight Tips For Talking To Your Aging Parents About Important Issues
• Establishing Healthy Family Relational Boundaries
• Helping Adult Children Affects Well-Being Of Older Parents
• Can You Really Multitask?
• Toxic Families: Navigating The Challenges Of Being A Family Scapegoat
• Holidays And Family Conflict
• Facing Grief And Loss During The Holidays
• The Holidays And The Meaning Of Giving
• The Problem Of Children And Blended Families
• When A Family Is Dysfunctional, The Deadlock In Washington
• The Elderly, Terminally Sick And Assisted Suicide
• Parents, The Empty Nest And Grads At Home
• The Emotional Needs Of Older Adults
• Parents Who Cannot Let Go
• Celebrating The Ordinary
• Family Life: Some Thoughts About The Role Of The Father
• Does Parental Longevity Impact Children's Personality?
• Roles In Relationships
• Creative Couple/Family Counseling: Discovering The Paradoxical Pass In The Impasse
• Dementia Affects The Whole Family
• Imago Relationship Therapy
• Marriage And "That Seven Year Itch"
• The Family: Its Stories And Myths
• Acceptable, Cute Aggression
• Childhood Television Viewing And Violent Behavior
• Making Your Relationship Work
• 5 Habits Of Emotionally Intelligent Families
• Own Being Responsible? -- Absolutely, Make Others Responsible? -- You Must Be Kidding!
• Nagging...or Motivational Speaking?
• A Lighthearted Response To Holiday Family Dysfunction
• Grieving My Father's Death: 46 Years Later
• When The Holidays Aren't So Jolly - Tips For Coping
• Don't Rain On The Parade
• Men, Women And Dysfunctional Relating
• Marriage, Are You Afraid Of Emotional Intimacy?
• Warning: Child Centered Is Not Child Friendly!
• Should I Divorce My Parents Or Forgive Them?
• "Love And Logic" Principles Of Parenting
• Independence Day, The Importance Of Democracy
• On Laughing And Laughter
• Is Your Partner Still Relating To His/Her Ex?
• Families And Groups With Rigid Boundaries
• Adoption, Finding The Birth Parents
• My Mother/Father Has Alzheimer's Disease
• Moving Back Home Again
• Boundaries And The Addicted Family
• Family Boundaries And The Parentified Child
• Am I Ugly? A Discussion Of The Young Teenager In Trouble
• Parents, Students, Teachers And Academic Performance - Everyone Plays A Role
• The Impact Of Divorce On Families
• Bipolar Disorder, Receiving The Diagnosis
• Catch A "Wild Pitch?" You Must Be Kidding!
• Why Do Couples Divorce?
• Admit Fault And Move On
• Divorce And Remarriage, The Blending Of Families
• Why Do People Marry?
• Violence Within Marriage
• How To Have A Happy Marriage
• A Requiem For A "Last Angry Man"
• Violence Against Women
• Impulse Control, Wanting...Waiting...Savoring
• The Substance Abuser And Multi Family Systems Therapy, Part One
• "On Being Certain," A Wonderful Book By Robert A. Burton, MD
• Mental Illness, A Failure To Understand
• The Only And Correct Way To Parent
• Work And Family, Are Boundaries Fading?
• The Impact Of Divorce On...
• Fathers And Father's Day
• When Life Gives You Lemons, Make Lemonade: Coping With Depression As A Result Of Economic Stress
• Revisiting Your Childhood Home, "Remembrance Of Things Past"
• April 15th: What Are You Worth?
• Some Reflections On Successful Marriages
• Teenagers, Technology And Parents
• Stepfamily Success: How Do You Know When You Can Relax?
• Anger Throughout The Generations
• Family Dinner, Do Families Interact And Talk To Each Other Any Longer?
• Step Dads, Don't Expect To Bring Order Into Your New Family
• He Doesn't Feel The Same Way About Me...
• Of Marriage, Money And Lies
• Strategies For Success For Stepmothers
• "That's Not Fair,...."
• Narcissistic Vs. Antisocial Or Sociopathic Personality Disorders
• Marriage, Family, Stress And Finances
• How To Protect Your Marriage In A Step Family
• It's About Relationships, Not Food!
• Stepfamily, Blended Family, Remarried Family Or Married With Baggage Family?
• Grandparents Raising Their Grandchildren
• A Debate Rages Over Education And Parenting
• Things I Learned From My Father's Dying
• Choosing To Be Childless, Is It Selfish?
• Setting Healthy Limits--It Can Be An All-Win!
• Managing Holiday Stress: Families + Holidays Do Not Always = Warm And Fuzzy Times
• Student Academic Performance
• Life, Death And Relationships
• The Pleasure, Beauty And Power Of Music
• Coping With People Who Are "Difficult"
• "My Mother Is Ruining My Life"
• Of Babies And Kisses And Hugs
• Empathy Vs. Blame
• A Legacy Of Two Elders
• Common And Mature Defenses, And Beyond
• Narcissism And What's Underneath
• Child Abuse And The Role Of Parental Denial
• Women Who Love Too Much, Are You One Of Them?
• Some Thoughts About Perception, Communication And Disagreement:
• Teenagers And Depression: Their Families And Psychotherapy
• On Demeaning, Devaluing And Bullying: Discussions Of Points Of View
• Married 40 Years....And We Never Had ONE Fight
• Family Therapy: A Different Approach To Psychotherapy
• On The Family As A System And The Problem Of Triangulation
• Arguing And Marriage: Go Together Like A Horse And Carriage
• Depression And Marriage
• How Do You Cope When A Loved One Has An Addiction?
• Handling The Stress Of The 2008 Holiday Season
• On Loneliness, Warmth And Making Friends
• Birthdays, Graduations And Other Celebrations:
• Infidelity, Why Do People Cheat?
• The Influence Of Culture On The Expression Of Depression
• Some Thoughts About Multiple Births
• On Fathers On Father's Day
• Summer Vacation, Children And Adolescents
• Teenage Self Injury
• "I Owe, I Owe, So Off To Work I Go," Spending, Debt And Stress
• Memories: Who Is Correct?
• Denial: The Good And Bad Of This Defense Mechanism For Relationships
• Transference: The Patient's Love For The Therapist And An Answer To A Graduate Student's Question
• Involving Fathers In The Treatment Of Children With ADHD
• On The Importance Of Fathers
• Couples And Quarrelling
• The End Of Vacation, Back To School And Work
• The Empty Nest, Or Is It?
• Addiction And The Family
• In The Middle
• Mother's Influence On Psychological And Physical Health Extends To Old Age
• Adult ADHD: The Importance Of Learning Social Skills
• Interfaith Dating And Marriage
• Money And Marriage
• Communication Challenges With Family And Friends
• If Not Now, When?
• "But You Can Choose Your Friends"
• Eating Disorders And Family Boundaries
• Can Men And Women Be Friends?
• Codependent And Enabling Behaviors
• Marriage And Friendship
• Points Of View
• Non Verbal Communication
• Bulimia Nervosa
• "Why Didn't I?"
• Stuffing It: The Culture Of Not Speaking
• Single And Satisfied: Is Marriage Still In?
• Lonliness Leads To High Blood Pressure ...
• Family Squabbles Can Derail Recovery From Cancer Surgery
• Sibling Bullies May Leave Lasting Effects
• Family Troubles Tied to Poorer Dental Health, Study Discovers
• Family Meals May Defuse Cyberbullying's Impact, Study Says
• When Parents Need Care, Daughters Carry the Burden: Study
• Health Tip: Avoiding Parental Burnout
• Spats, Conflicts Can Raise a Woman's Blood Pressure
• Frequent Arguments Might Be the Death of You
• How You Parent Is Partly Genetic, Study Suggests
• Life Issues
• Oppositional Defiant Disorder
• Mens Health
• What Is Addiction?
• Signs, Symptoms, & Effects Of Addiction
• What Causes Addiction?
• Mental Health, Dual-Diagnosis, & Behavioral Addictions
• Addiction Treatment
• Addiction Recovery
• Information On Specific Drugs
• Homosexuality And Bisexuality
• Internet Addiction
• Childhood Mental Disorders
• ADHD: Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder
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• Bipolar Disorder
• Depression: Major Depression & Unipolar Varieties
• Eating Disorders
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The Importance Of Supportive Friendships

The friendships we develop in our lives help shape us as people.

A plethora of research has confirmed the importance of friendships when it comes to our ability to foster success, mental and physical wellness, and resiliency. Despite these benefits, though, we sometimes don’t know the best ways to maintain or strengthen our bonds with our friends. Below, we’re going to discuss the vital role supportive friendships play in our lives and how you can build and sustain strong relationships with your friends. 

What is a supportive friendship?

Casual friendships—relationships that may be rewarding are often less committed—can be enjoyable and are considered by many to be an indispensable facet of our social lives. When those connections deepen, though, they may start to be characterized by mutual respect, admiration, and a willingness to help one another. A supportive friendship is often selfless. It is one in which each person provides the other with care, encouragement, and compassion, especially when they need it most. 

A supportive friend will leave room for your needs. They can help you feel accepted for who you are and assure you that they’ll always be there for you. A close friend can listen to and empathize with your concerns, lift you up, and provide you with motivation. 

What are the characteristics of a supportive friendship?

Supportive friendships are often marked by shared affection, respect, and care. They are typically balanced relationships, in which both individuals give and take equally. One of the most important components of a healthy friendship is mutual understanding. Having a friend who knows you well and appreciates you for who you are can be validating, providing you with a sense of belonging and acceptance. 

Healthy friendships are also typically characterized by loyalty and reliability. Part of nurturing a relationship with a friend is being there for them regardless of what they’re going through while trusting them to be there for you when you need their advice, assistance, or emotional support. 

Additionally, supportive friendships are often marked by vulnerability. Friends who are able to share their fears, anxieties, and weaknesses may feel more comfortable with and connected to one another. Along with vulnerability comes honesty—another cornerstone of a healthy friendship. Good friends often share their feelings with each other, encourage openness, and provide one another with candid insights.

The importance of supportive friendships

Friendships are thought to contribute significantly to our happiness, health, and overall quality of life. Research has found that social support is strongly connected to improved mental health outcomes , helping to decrease stress and depression, improve communication skills, and reduce the emotional effects of physical health challenges. Supportive relationships can help us solve problems and boost our self-confidence. Often, we feel better able to navigate a stressful situation when we have someone to go through it with. In fact, many studies suggest that when friends are simply physically near to us, challenges can feel less daunting . 

Friendships have also been shown to provide physical health benefits. Research suggests that people who have a robust support system live longer and experience fewer health complications. Additionally, the reduced stress that can accompany a supportive friendship can be good for heart health .   

Friendships are considered a key aspect of development for young people, helping children and adolescents form healthy attachments characterized by trust, generosity, and mutual support. An individual’s friends can help them grow and mature during their often-challenging formative years. Mutually supportive friendships can make this time easier and less mentally and emotionally taxing. For example, friendships have been linked to greater academic achievement. Friends can hold each other accountable and motivate one another to succeed as they transition into adulthood. 

For adults who may no longer live with their family, friendships can become a primary source of support. There are proven associations between life satisfaction and the number and quality of friendships an individual maintains. Life as an adult can be complicated, and a friendship characterized by mutual care can make you feel less alone during challenging times. The relationships you have with friends as an adult can shape your life, often helping determine your worldview, interests, and values. For example, you may pursue certain hobbies because your friends are involved in them; or you might develop an optimistic mindset after being around a friend with a positive outlook on life. 

A supportive friend can help you solve problems, potentially providing valuable insights into your life based on their intimate knowledge of you. They may disagree with your choices at times; but they will likely stand by you regardless of the decisions you make. For example, if you’re considering getting back together with an ex, a good friend may have a unique perspective on your former relationship, and they may tell you that you’re making a mistake. But they’ll likely also let you know that they’ll support you no matter what you do.  

While friendships can be beneficial and important, they can also be difficult to maintain at times. Life can become busy, and friends can grow apart, so you may find it harder to feel as close to some friends, and you could lose touch with others completely. Below, we’re going to discuss what you can do when this happens.

How to develop supportive friendships

If you’d like to take advantage of the above benefits of healthy friendships, it can help to know how to identify important relationships, stay connected to friends, and provide valuable emotional support. The following are several steps you can take to cultivate supportive friendships. 

Identify important existing friendships

One of the first things you can do as you work to foster healthy friendships is examine the current relationships you have with friends, acquaintances, and other people in your life. You may have friends you’ve lost touch with or casual acquaintances you’d like to get to know better. Think about the people with whom you’ve connected over the years. Is there anyone with whom you’ve shared your feelings? Who encourages you to be better? Whom do you feel comfortable around? Answering these questions can help you identify relationships that you can strengthen.

Reach out regularly

Keeping in contact with friends can be key to fostering closeness. Even if you’re only reaching out through text occasionally, this can let your friends know that you’re thinking about them and making an effort to continue your relationship. You never know when a friend may be feeling lonely and in need of connection. Researchers in one study found that we often underestimate the positive feelings a check-in can elicit , concluding that such efforts are “likely to be appreciated more than people predict”. 

Providing your undivided attention can be one of the best ways to promote trust and honesty in a friendship. By making yourself available to your friends when they want to talk, you can allow them to process their emotions, address challenges, and seek your advice. Listening can bring you and a friend closer together and provide them with surprising benefits. In addition to signaling to them that their feelings have been understood, listening can motivate your friends. Research even suggests that there is a connection between supportive listening and improved cognitive well-being . 

Show your appreciation

Studies show that expressing gratitude can help deepen bonds with friends. People typically like to know that they are valued and that their presence or actions are appreciated. You can let the friends in your life know how much they mean to you through heartfelt words, small acts of kindness (e.g., sending them flowers), or more significant gestures (e.g., inviting them out to a nice dinner). 

Nurturing healthy friendships with online therapy

The results of an increasingly large number of studies show that online therapy can help individuals build stronger relationships while addressing mental health concerns. In a study titled “Building Closer Friendships in Social Anxiety Disorder”, researchers found that online therapy led to increased comfort with intimacy . The study also notes that participants experienced greater decreases in depression and loneliness corresponding to the amount of time they spent discussing their emotions with friends. 

If you’d like help developing healthy, supportive friendships, online therapy is available for you. With an online therapy platform like  BetterHelp, you can participate in sessions remotely—through video call, voice call, or in-app messaging—which can be helpful if you’re not comfortable meeting in person due to social anxiety or similar concerns. Online therapy is also an affordable option—BetterHelp memberships start at $65 per week (based on factors such as your location, referral source, preferences, therapist availability and any applicable discounts or promotions that might apply)—so you can save money for coffee dates with friends. 

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Essay on Friendship

List of essays on friendship, essay on friendship – short essay for kids (essay 1 – 150 words), essay on friendship – 10 lines on friendship written in english (essay 2 – 250 words), essay on friendship – for school students (class 3, 4, 5, 6, and 7) (essay 3 – 300 words), essay on friendship – for students (essay 4 – 400 words), essay on friendship (essay 5 – 500 words), essay on friendship – introduction, benefits and qualities (essay 6 – 600 words), essay on friendship – essay on true friendship (essay 7 – 750 words), essay on friendship – importance, types, examples and conclusion (essay 8 – 1000 words).

Friendship is a divine relationship, which is defined by neither blood nor any other similarity. Who is in this world does not have a friend?

A friend, with whom you just love to spend your time, can share your joys and sorrows. Most importantly you need not fake yourself and just be what you are. That is what friendship is all about. It is one of the most beautiful of the relations in the world. Students of today need to understand the values of friendship and therefore we have composed different long essays for students as well as short essays.

Audience: The below given essays are exclusively written for school students (Class 3, 4, 5, 6, 7 and 8 Standard).

Introduction:

Friendship is considered as one of the treasures that anyone can possess. God has given us the liberty to choose friends because they are for our lifetime. It is quite normal for our parents and siblings to love us because they are our own blood but a friend is someone who is initially a stranger and then takes his/her place above all the other relations. Friendship is nothing but pure love without any expectations.

Role of a Friend:

True friends share and support each other even during the toughest of times. A true friend is one who feels happy for our success, who feel sad for our failures, fight with us for silly things and hugs us the next second, gets angry on us when we do any mistakes. Friendship is all about having true friends who can understand us without the need for us to speak.

Conclusion:

Friendship is very essential for a happy life. Even a two-minute chat with a friend will make us forget our worries. That is the strength of friendship.

Friendship is a divine relationship, which is defined by neither blood nor any other similarity. Friends are those you can choose for yourself in spite of the difference you both have from each other. A good friend in need will do wonders in your life, whenever you are in need of self-realization, upbringing your confidence and more.

Friendship serves you best not only in your happiest moments but also when you feel low in emotions. A life without a good friend is not at all complete and an emptiness will be felt all the time you think of sharing your emotion that can’t be told to anyone else.

Honesty and Patience in Friendship:

To maintain and keep going with a good deep friendship, honesty is the most important factor. You should choose a person who can be cent percent honest with you in all perspective like emotions, decision making, etc. Trustworthy friendship will help you to take better decisions and choose a better path for your future well-being.

Tolerance and patience with each other are another important characteristics of long-lasting friendship. Accepting the differences, friends should be able to be with each other in all situations. As a friend, the person should lead the other to success by being a motivation and criticize the person if they choose the wrong path.

Friendship will give you sweet and happy memories that can be cherished for a lifetime and if you succeed in maintaining that precious relation, then you are the luckiest person in this world. Love and care for each other will cherish the relationship and helps the person to appreciate each thing done without any fail.

Of all the different relations which we indulge in, friendship is considered to be the purest of them all. Friendship is the true confluence of souls with like minded attitude that aids in seamless conversation and the best of times. It is believed that a person who doesn’t have any friend lives one of the toughest lives.

The Desire to Belong:

Each one of us have been so programmed that we need a companion even if it’s not romantic, someone just to tag along. There are several definitions of friendship and it is upon you as to how you believe your relation to be. Friendship can happen when you are simply sharing a bowl of food with a person day after day. It can be expressed in the way you silently care for someone even when they may not be aware of your existence.

The Little Moments that Matter:

It is giving up the little things you love dearly for the sake of someone you cherish a great deal. Friendship often refers to the little moments of senseless laugh you two share when the rest of the world starts to look bleak. It is to know what your friend needs and being there for them even when the rest of the world has turned their back towards them.

Friendship is the kind of relation which sometimes even exceeds the realms of love because it is all about giving without even once bothering to sense what you shall get back. Every time spent is special because when you are with friends, you don’t feel the blues!

The Bottom-Line:

Of course the definition of friendship is going to vary a great deal from one person to another. But, remember one thing, when you are friends with someone, be prepared to put your heart on the line for their happiness because friendship often manifests into love, even if it is not romantic, it always is true!

Friendship is the most valuable as well as precious gifts of life. Friendship is one of the most valued relationship. People who have good friends enjoy the most in their live. True friendship is based on loyalty & support. A good friend is a person who will stand with you when times are tough. A friend is someone special on whom you can rely on to celebrate a special moment. Friendship is like a life asset and it can lead us to success. It all depends on our choice how we choose our friends.

The quality of friendship is essential for happiness. The benefits of healthy friendship remains long-life. In addition, having a strong friend circle also improves our self-confidence. Due to the strong relationship, we get much emotional support during our bad times. True friendship is a feeling of love & care.

Real friendship cannot be built within limited boundaries like caste or creed. It gives us a feeling that someone really needs us & we are not alone. This is true that man cannot live alone. True friends are needed in every stage of life to survive. A true friend can be an old person or a child. But it is generally believed that we make friend with people who are of the same age as ours. Same age group can give you the freedom to share anything.

The selection of a true friend is also a challenging task. We have to carefully make our friend selection. Friends might come & go. They will make you laugh & cry. Wrong selection can create various problems for you. In the modern world, many youngsters become a social nuisance. The reason behind it is wrong & bad friendships.

But if we successfully choose the right person as a friend then our life becomes easier. It doesn’t matter who you are, what type of clothes you wear. The most important thing is trust because the relation of friendship stands on the pillars of trust.

Friendship is a relation which can make or break us in every stage of life. But in other words, friendship is an asset which is really precious. Obviously, it is also not so easy to maintain friendships. It demands your time as well as efforts. Last but not the least, it is hard to find true friendship but once you succeed in this task you will have a wonderful time. In exchange for that a friend will only need your valuable time and trust.

The idea of friendship is either heartwarming or gives cold feet depending on individuals and the types of friendships. In the current world, friendships have had different definitions based on the morality and civilization of the society. Ideally, friendship is defined as the state of mutual trust between individuals or parties. Trust is an important component of friendship because it determines the reliability and longevity of the friendship. Trust is built through honest communications between the individuals and interested parties.

Once trust has been established, mutual understanding and support being to form the resulting in a friendship. This friendship can be broken through lack of trust. Trust can be breached through deceit and/ or some people, it differs with the frequencies. There are people who will break friendships after only one episode of dishonesty whereas some people give second chances and even more chances. Friendship types determine the longevity and the causes of breakups. The importance of friendship in the lives of individuals is the reason why friendships are formed in the first place.

Types of Friendships:

According to Aristotle’s Nichomachean ethics, there are three types of friendships. The friendships are based on three factors i.e. utility, pleasure and goodness. The first type of friendship is based on utility and has been described as a friendship whereby both parties gain from each other.

This type of friendship is dependent on the benefits and that is what keeps the friendship going. This type of friendships do not last long because it dissolves as soon as the benefits are outsourced or when other sources are found outside the friendship. The friendship was invented for trade purposes because when two people with opposite things that depend on each other re put together, trade is maximized.

The second type of friendship is based on pleasure. This is described as friendship in which two individuals are drawn to each other based on desires of pleasure and is characterized by passionate feelings and feelings of belonging. This type of friendship can ether last long or is short-lived depending on the presence of the attraction between the two parties.

The third type of friendship is based on goodness. In this friendship, the goodness of people draw them to each other and they usually have the same virtues. The friendship involves loving each other and expecting goodness. It takes long to develop this kind of friendship but it usually lasts longest and is actually the best kind of friendship to be in. the importance of such a friendship is the social support and love.

In conclusion, friendships are important in the lives of individuals. Trust builds and sustains friendships. The different types of friendships are important because they provide benefits and social support. Friendships provide a feeling of belonging and dependence. The durability of friendships is dependent on the basis of its formation and the intention during the formation. Friendships that last long are not based on materialistic gain, instead, they are based on pure emotion.

Friendship is an emotion of care, mutual trust, and fondness among two persons. A friend might be a work-mate, buddy, fellow student or any individual with whom we feel an attachment.

In friendship, people have a mutual exchange of sentiments and faith too. Usually, the friendship nurtures more amongst those people who belong to a similar age as they possess the same passions, interests, sentiments, and opinions. During the school days, kids who belong to the similar age group have a common dream about their future and this makes them all of them get closer in friendship.

In the same way, employees working in business organizations also make friends as they are working together for attaining the organizational objectives. It does not matter that to which age group you belong, friendship can happen at any time of your life.

Benefits of Friendship:

Sometimes friendship is essential in our life. Below are a few benefits of friendship.

1. It’s impossible to live your life alone always but friendship fills that gap quickly with the friend’s company.

2. You can easily pass the rigidities of life with the friendship as in your distress period your friends are always there to help you.

3. Friendship teaches you how to remain happy in life.

4. In case of any confusion or problem, your friendship will always benefit you with good opinions.

True and Dishonest Friendship:

True friendship is very rare in today’s times. There are so many persons who support only those people who are in power so that they can fulfil their selfish motives below the name of friendship. They stay with friends till the time their selfish requirements are achieved. Dishonest friends leave people as soon as their power gets vanished. You can find these types of self-seeking friends all around the world who are quite hurtful than enemies.

Finding a true friendship is very difficult. A true friend helps the other friend who is in need. It does not matter to him that his friend is right or wrong but he will always support his friend at the time of his difficulty.

Carefulness in the Selection of Friendship:

You must be very careful while choosing friends. You should nurture your friendship with that person who does not leave you in your bad times easily. Once you get emotionally attached to the wrong person you cannot finish your friendship so soon. True friendship continues till the time of your last breaths and does not change with the passing time.

Friendship with a bad person also affects your own thoughts and habits. Therefore, a bad person should not be chosen in any type of circumstances. We must do friendship with full attention and carefulness.

Best Qualities of Good Friendship:

Good friendship provides people an enormous love to each other.

The below are the important qualities of good friendship:

1. Good friendship is always faithful, honest, and truthful.

2. People pay attention and take note of others thoughts in good friendship.

3. Persons quickly forget and let off the mistakes of the other friend. In fact, they accept their friend in the way they are actually.

4. You are not judged on the basis of your success, money or power in it.

5. Friends do not feel shy to provide us with valuable opinions for our welfare.

6. People always share their joyful times with their good friends and also stay ready to help their friends in the time of need.

7. True friends also support others in their professional as well as personal life. They encourage their friends in the area of their interest.

Friendship is established over the sacrifice, love, faith, and concern of mutual benefit. True Friendship is a support and a blessing for everybody. All those males and females who have true and genuine friends are very lucky really.

Friendship can simply be defined as a form of mutual relationship or understanding between two people or more who interact and are attached to one another in a manner that is friendly. A friendship is a serious relationship of devotion between two or more people where people involved have a true and sincere feeling of affection, care and love towards each other devoid of any misunderstanding and without demands.

Primarily friendship happens between people that have the same sentiments, feelings and tastes. It is believed that there is no limit or criteria for friendship. All of the different creed, religion, caste, position, sex and age do not matter when it comes to friendship even though friendships can sometimes be damaged by economic disparity and other forms of differentiation. From all of these, it can be concluded that real and true friendship is very possible between people that have a uniform status and are like-minded.

A lot of friends we have in the world today only remain together in times of prosperity and absence of problems but only the faithful, sincere and true friends remain all through the troubles, times of hardships and our bad times. We only discover who our bad and good friends are in the times where we don’t have things going our way.

Most people want to be friends with people with money and we can’t really know if our friends are true when we have money and do not need their help, we only discover our true friends when we need their help in terms of money or any other form of support. A lot of friendships have been jeopardised because of money and the absence or presence of it.

Sometimes, we might face difficulty or crises in our friendships because of self-respect and ego. Friendships can be affected by us or others and we need to try to strike a balance in our friendships. For our friendship to prosper and be true, we need satisfaction, proper understanding and a trustworthy nature. As true friends, we should never exploit our friends but instead do our utmost best to motivate and support them in doing and attaining the very best things in life.

The true meaning of friendship is sometimes lost because of encounters with fake friends who have used and exploited us for their own personal benefits. People like this tend to end the friendship once they get what they want or stab their supposed friends in the back just to get what they think is best for them. Friendship is a very good thing that can help meet our need for companionship and other emotional needs.

In the world we live in today, it is extremely difficult to come across good and loyal friends and this daunting task isn’t made any easier by the lie and deceit of a lot of people in this generation. So, when one finds a very good and loyal important, it is like finding gold and one should do everything to keep friends like that.

The pursuit of true friendship Is not limited to humans, we can as well find good friends in animals; for example, it is a popular belief that dogs make the best friends. It is very important to have good friends as they help us in times and situations where we are down and facing difficulties. Our true friends always do their best to save us when we are in danger and also provide us with timely and good advice. True friends are priceless assets in our lives, they share our pains and sorrow, help provide relief to us in terrible situations and do their best to make us happy.

Friends can both be the good or the bad types. Good friends help push us on the right path in life while on the other hand, bad friends don’t care about us but only care about themselves and can lead us into the wrong path; because of this, we have to be absolutely careful when choosing our friends in this life.

Bad friends can ruin our lives completely so we have to be weary of them and do our best to avoid bag friends totally. We need friends in our life that will be there for us at every point in time and will share all of our feeling with us, both the good and bad. We need friends we can talk to anytime we are feeling lonely, friends that will make us laugh and smile anytime we are feeling sad.

What is friendship? It is the purest form of relationship between two individual with no hidden agenda. As per the dictionary, it is the mutual affection between people. But, is it just a mutual affection? Not always, as in the case of best friends, it is far beyond that. Great friends share each other’s feelings or notions which bring a feeling of prosperity and mental fulfillment.

A friend is a person whom one can know deeply, as and trust for eternity. Rather than having some likeness in the idea of two people associated with the friendship, they have some extraordinary qualities yet they want to be with each other without changing their uniqueness. By and large, friends spur each other without censuring, however at times great friends scrutinize do affect you in a positive manner.

Importance of Friendship:

It is very important to have a friend in life. Each friend is vital and their significance in known to us when certain circumstances emerge which must be supported by our friends. One can never feel lonely in this world on the off chance that he or she is embraced by true friends. Then again, depression wins in the lives of the individuals who don’t have friends regardless of billions of individuals present on the planet. Friends are particularly vital amid times of emergency and hardships. On the off chance that you wind up experiencing a hard time, having a friend to help you through can make the change simpler.

Having friends you can depend on can help your confidence. Then again, an absence of friends can make you feel lonely and without help, which makes you powerless for different issues, for example, sadness and drug abuse. Having no less than one individual you can depend on will formulate your confidence.

Choosing Your Friends Wisely:

Not all friends can instill the positivity in your life. There can be negative effects as well. It is very important to choose your friends with utmost wisdom. Picking the right friend is somewhat troublesome task however it is extremely important. In the event that for instance a couple of our dear friends are engaged with negative behaviour patterns, for example, smoking, drinking and taking drugs, at some point or another we will be attracted to their bad habits as well. This is the reason behind why it is appropriate to settle on an appropriate decision with regards to making friends.

Genuine friendship is truly a gift delighted in by a couple. The individuals who have it ought to express gratitude toward God for having genuine pearls in their lives and the individuals who don’t have a couple of good friends ought to always take a stab at better approaches to anchor great friends. No organization is superior to having a friend close by in the midst of need. You will stay cheerful in your one-room flat on the off chance that you are surrounded by your friends; then again, you can’t discover satisfaction even in your estate in the event that you are far away from others.

Types of Friends:

There is variety everywhere, so why not in friends. We can see different types of friends during our journey of life. For instance, your best friend at school is someone with whom you just get along the most. That friend, especially in the case of girls, may just get annoyed even if you talk to another of your friend more than her. Such is the childish nature of such friendships that at times it is difficult for others to identify whether you are best friends or competitors.

Then there is another category of your siblings. No matter how much you deny, but your siblings or your elder brother and sisters are those friends of yours who stay on with you for your entire life. You have a different set of friendship with them as you find yourself fighting with them most of the times. However, in times of need, you shall see that they are first ones standing behind you, supporting you.

There is another category of friends called professional friends. You come across such friends only when you grow up and choose a profession for yourself. These friends are usually from the same organisation and prove to be helpful during your settling years. Some of them tend to stay on with you even when you change companies.

Friendship Examples from History:

History has always taught us a lot. Examples of true friendship are not far behind. We have some famous example from history which makes us realise the true value of friendship. The topmost of them are the Krishna and Sudama friendship. We all must have read or heard as to how after becoming a king when Krishna met Sudama, his childhood friend, he treated him with honour even though Sudama was a poor person. It teaches us the friendship need not be between equals. It has to be between likeminded people. Next example is of Karna and Duryodhana, again from the Mahabharat era.

Despite knowing the fact that the Pandavas were his brothers, Karna went on to fight alongside Duryodhan as he is his best friend and even laid down his life for him. What more example of true friendship can one find? Again from the same era, Krishna and Arjun are also referred to as the best of the friends. Bhagavad Gita is an example of how a true friend can guide you towards positivity in life and make you follow the path of Dharma. Similarly, there are numerous examples from history which teach us the values of true friendship and the need to nourish such for own good.

Whether you accept or deny it, a friend plays an important role in your life. In fact, it is very important to have a friend. However, at the same time, it is extremely important to choose the friends wisely as they are the ones who can build you or destroy you. Nonetheless, a friend’s company is something which one enjoys all through life and friends should be treated as the best treasure a man can have.

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Essay on Friendship: Samples in 100, 200, 300 Words

• Updated on  
• Sep 14, 2023

Friendship is a lovely connection that thrives on pure love and care, free from demands. It’s recognized through respect, support, open communication, shared joys, empathy, and unwavering presence. True friends cherish and express this bond in countless meaningful ways. Mentioned below are the essay on friendship that you can write in your school assignments to express gratitude towards them.

Table of Contents

• 1 Friendship Sample Essay in 100 Words
• 2 Friendship Sample Essay in 200 words
• 3 Friendship Sample Essay in 300 Words

Friendship Sample Essay in 100 Words

Everybody needs friends in their life because friends with friendship fill that gap of proper understanding that at some point even our family fails to meet. Whenever challenges come up in life, this friendship becomes a path to overcome those challenges and boosts us toward progress. In the dark and bleak world of reality, friendship fills vibrant and vivid colours of life, enthusiasm, and motivation. Every occasion becomes extra happy when celebrated with that special circle of friends. Every moment spent and lived with your friends, be it sad or happy, dull or motivating, shapes us into who we are. It also helps us see the good in life. 

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Friendship Sample Essay in 200 words

Friendship is something exceptional. Whenever life gets rough, one thing that we can always rely on is our friendship. We know that we have our friends to support us through the tough times in life. Not only that, friendship is such a deep-rooted emotion that even when we don’t share what we are feeling at the same moment, just by looking at our faces, our friends can figure out that something is bothering us. And they, just by having a thoughtful talk with us, have the strength to make all the bothering go away in a snap. Such is the power of friendship. It’s more than meets the eye. However, there are times when we have those life tests that make us reach our limits and test us through thick and thin. 

Everything in life isn’t always smooth and happy, there are phases when even friends get into a fight with each other, but when they come out of that situation with their friendship still intact, then that bonding reaches new heights of strength.

If you have deep friendships with people, always be grateful to god for that, because not every bond of friendship lasts forever. Those people who have friends who last a lifetime are truly blessed because friendship truly is beautiful.

Also Read: Essay on Badminton

Friendship Sample Essay in 300 Words

In this vast world, there are innumerable people we meet every day, yet we still meet people who are there with us for a lifetime. The term for those people is “Friends” and the emotion that sustains them is “friendship”. The word friendship may have a particular number of alphabets, but the meaning it conveys cannot be measured in numbers. The word “friendship” is more than meets the eye. The depth it holds in terms of emotions, bonding, trust, understanding, support, communication, and much more is unparalleled. At every phase of our lives, we come across people and don’t even realize the bonds that get forged with time. These bonds are filled with the spirit and essence of trust, honesty, support, etc. hence becoming the pillars of friendship. 

In every person’s life, friendship plays different roles but one thing that every person can agree on without a doubt is that friendship sustains you. Now, there are basically 2 types of friends, first ones are those who are good friends while the other ones are best friends. The best friends are the ones that we share a special bond of affection and love with. They make our lives much richer and easier

In true friendship, there is no place for judgment. True friends can share anything they are feeling without the fear of being judged by the other. To put it simply, we can say that true friendship gives us a reason to become even stronger in life.

Friendship makes us stronger in all aspects. No matter how much we fight our friends, we always come back to them. This is what teaches us the virtue of understanding and being patient. Without an iota of doubt, we can conclude that there is nothing out there that is nearly as beautiful, and as strong as friendship. Lucky are those who have this blessing in their life. Forever cherish it. 

True friendship is one where there is mutual respect, good communication, honesty, and trust. When you know that no matter what, you can rely on your friend and that friend has got your back in every situation. 

The full form of “FRIEND” is” Few Relations In Earth Never Die”.

The word “friendship” is more than meets the eye. The depth it holds in terms of emotions, bonding, trust, understanding, support, communication, and much more is unparalleled. At every phase of our lives, we come across people and don’t even realize the bonds that get forged with time. The power of friendship is such that it can turn a dull day in any person’s life into a really happy one. Every moment spent and lived with your friends, be it sad or happy, dull or motivating, shapes us into who we are. If you have deep friendships with people, always be grateful to god for that, because not every bond of friendship lasts forever. Those people who have friends who last a lifetime are truly blessed because friendship truly is beautiful. 

Hence, we hope that this blog has assisted you in comprehending what an essay on friendship must include. If you are struggling with your career choices and need expert guidance, our Leverage Edu mentors are here to guide you at any point of your academic and professional journey thus ensuring that you take informed steps towards your dream career.

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The Importance of Friendship

Friendships are a crucial part of living a fulfilling life..

Posted July 26, 2021 | Reviewed by Ekua Hagan

• Friendship makes life more enjoyable and enriches one's everyday experiences.
• Finding friends can be challenging but can be often achieved by approaching others with mutual interests.
• The first criteria one should look for in a partner is someone who is ultimately a good friend to them.

As we move through life, we find that there are many things out of our control. We can’t choose our parents, our genetics , or control the things that happen in the world around us. One thing that we can control is who our friends are, and this decision can either make our lives so much richer and beautiful, or more stressful and disappointing. Today we’ll focus on how to choose friends who enrich our lives and make them more beautiful.

Why friends are so important

Having solid friendships is important for two main reasons. First, they make life more enjoyable. We get to share the beautiful aspects of life with people who we love, which can enrich our everyday experiences. Second, our friends help us through the difficult times. Having friends to support us through hard times can make unimaginably difficult situations seem more tolerable.

The most beautiful part about pouring our time and energy into friendships is that not only do friends help enrich our lives, but we enrich theirs too! Friendships get us through the tough times in life, make things more fun and enjoyable, and all-around make our lives better. I urge you to take stock of your friendships and ask yourself if your current friends people build you up and support you, or is the friendship more one-sided?

As we explore friendships today, these are also inclusive of our partners. I believe that the foundation for any healthy relationship is friendship. So it’s important to group our romantic partners into this conversation too.

So, where do we find friends? This might sound silly, but finding friends can be challenging! When I first moved to California for my Ph.D., I didn’t have any friends out here. There were quite a few people in my program that I enjoyed spending time with. But, towards the end of school, they became very busy and were no longer able to dedicate time to hang out anymore. Thankfully, through the help of a very good therapist, I learned that it was important to enjoy life instead of striving for excellence all of the time. As a result, I learned how important it was to carve out time in my life for friends.

Unfortunately, the people I had dedicated time to thus far were achievement-oriented and were pouring their time into work and not our friendships. This forced me to seek out other ways to form connections with people. I ended up finding a local hiking group with the hopes of meeting people with similar interests. During one of these hikes, I met Jim, one of my best friends to this day.

We became instant friends. We have continued to support each other over the years, and even more importantly, we always make time for one another. We both view the friendship as one that makes each other’s lives better, therefore it’s always worth the time and energy. The backbone of any successful friendship is one where both sides put in equal effort and support.

Both Jim and I were forced to put in more effort when he moved across the country to the East Coast. Because we already had such a strong foundation, this didn’t impact our friendship. We talk all of the time and see each other several times a year. We make the relationship a priority no matter what coast each other is on. Like anything in life that is valuable to us, we must work at it and put time and effort into it.

When it's time to move on from a friendship

The second part of the friendship discussion can be a difficult one — reassessing your current friendships and potentially moving on from friends who don’t add value to your life.

Two of my best friends from high school went down different paths from me. We still keep in contact, but I don’t spend too much time with them anymore. The supporting, loving part of our relationship wasn’t there anymore, so it was no longer worth putting energy into maintaining a friendship that had changed so much.

This may be a story you can relate to. What I hope you take away from this post is this — friendships take energy, time, and commitment. And if you’re putting your time and energy into someone who isn’t enriching your life and giving you the support you need, it may be time to reevaluate that friendship.

If you find yourself in the market for friends (who isn’t?) I recommend you find groups or activities that you genuinely enjoy. This way you’ll have the opportunity to connect with people who have similar interests. And once you’re there, take a risk! Talk to people, exchange contact information, and follow up with them. It may feel scary at first, but the reward outweighs the momentary uncomfortable feeling you may have.

Friendship and dating

In many ways, the most important friendship in our lives is the one we have with our romantic partners. The first criteria we should look for in this partner is someone who is ultimately a good friend to us, meaning that they are kind, positive, loving, and supportive. If we’re dating someone and they’re a jerk, it’s probably safe to assume that they’re not a good friend. To avoid this, I recommend seeking out someone who is a good friend first, i.e. before the romance and sexual stuff gets in the way.

When there are bumps in a friendship or a romantic relationship , it’s important to work through those tough times. The tricky part is that it will take two people to fix that issue. We can only control our actions and hold ourselves accountable, but we cannot control our friend or our partner's reaction. In addition to our own actions, we have control over the friends or partners that we choose in the first place. If we prioritize choosing good people who we can trust will work through issues with us, then we can work through anything.

Friendships are a crucial part of living a fulfilling life. It’s so important that we surround ourselves with people who we have fun with, who support us, and people who make us better. You may already have beautiful friendships in your life, but if you’re still in the market for friends, it’s never too late to cultivate new relationships that will make your life even more magnificent.

Robert Puff, Ph.D. , is host and producer of the Happiness Podcast, with over 16 million downloads.

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It can be hard to talk to people about how you feel. You may be worried that they won't take your feelings seriously. You may also be worried about what will happen after you tell them your problems.

If you think you don't know anyone who will listen, you can call a confidential counselling service. Kids Helpline External Link (Tel. 1800 551 800 ) and Lifeline External Link (Tel. 13 11 14 ) are telephone counselling services that are available 24 hours a day.

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You might also find that things may get worse if you don’t try to get on top of them straight away.

An important first step is deciding who you want to talk to. You need to feel that you can trust the person you are talking to. There are counsellors External Link who specialise in talking to young people or families. They can provide counselling in specialty areas, including:

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It is important to find ways to express your feelings. This can help you to release built-up tensions and make better decisions. There are a number of ways you can express how you feel, including:

• Set aside some time for yourself, even if it is just 10 minutes.
• Do things that make you feel good – such as reading or exercising.
• Write about how you feel – this can be a useful way to explore your feelings. Some people keep diaries or journals, others just write down whatever comes into their head. You may want to write a story about whatever is bothering you.
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• Play sport or do some physical activity – it will give you plenty of chances to get rid of pent up energy.
• Be creative – draw, paint or make a collage.
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Home — Essay Samples — Sociology — Friendship — My Experience In Friendship

My Experience in Friendship

• Categories: Admired Person Friendship

About this sample

Words: 714 |

Published: Nov 8, 2019

Words: 714 | Pages: 2 | 4 min read

Having a best friend

Works cited:.

• Smith, Zadie. "Find Your Beach." The New York Review of Books, 26 Nov. 2020. https://www.nybooks.com/articles/2020/11/26/zadie-smith-find-your-beach/
• Whitehead, Colson. "City Limits." The New Yorker, 16 Aug. 1999. https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/1999/08/16/city-limits
• Csikszentmihalyi, Mihaly. Flow: The Psychology of Optimal Experience. HarperCollins, 1990.
• Diener, Ed, and Robert Biswas-Diener. Happiness: Unlocking the Mysteries of Psychological Wealth. Wiley-Blackwell, 2008.
• Fredrickson, Barbara L. Positivity: Groundbreaking Research Reveals How to Embrace the Hidden Strength of Positive Emotions, Overcome Negativity, and Thrive. Crown Publishers, 2009.
• Gilbert, Daniel. Stumbling on Happiness. Vintage, 2006.
• Haidt, Jonathan. The Happiness Hypothesis: Finding Modern Truth in Ancient Wisdom. Basic Books, 2006.
• Kashdan, Todd B., and Robert Biswas-Diener. The Upside of Your Dark Side: Why Being Your Whole Self - Not Just Your "Good" Self - Drives Success and Fulfillment. Hudson Street Press, 2014.
• Seligman, Martin E. P. Authentic Happiness: Using the New Positive Psychology to Realize Your Potential for Lasting Fulfillment. Free Press, 2002.
• Snyder, C. R., and Shane J. Lopez. Handbook of Positive Psychology. Oxford University Press, 2005.

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You’re probably stressed. here’s why you must avoid oversharing.

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If you overshare about your stress, you'll reduce your credibility.

You’re stressed, you’re working hard, and you want to prove yourself. But you would be wise to stop short of oversharing about how much pressure you’re under—because it could backfire.

New research shows that “stress bragging”—talking at length about your overwhelm, your effort and your contributions—can degrade your relationships and your credibility, and even impact negatively on those around you.

With the speed of things today and the deluge of information and work demands, it’s natural to feel pressure. And with the uncertainty in the job market and the headlines about layoffs, you want to hustle, prove yourself and ensure people see your value. But how you handle things is key to ensuring you don’t inadvertently create more stress—and career problems—in the process.

The Problem with Using Stress to Self-Promote

Stress is everywhere , with 84% of employees saying they feel stressed, according to survey by Cigna . You may want to talk about your stress with others—commiserating and sharing the worry. But if you talk too much about the demands you face—and if others perceive you to be wearing your stress as a badge of honor—you’re likely to be perceived as less competent and less likeable.

In addition, when you are perceived as bragging about your stress levels, people will be less likely to help you and may also feel greater levels of burnout themselves—based on the atmosphere you’re creating and the spillover of your comments to the culture. All of this is according to research conducted at the University of Georgia .

Interestingly, in the study, if people simply perceived a colleague to be under stress—and the colleague wasn’t perceived as bragging about it—they didn’t have the same negative reactions. And likewise, if people mentioned they were under stress in passing or to a trusted confidant, it didn’t detract from relationships or credibility in the study. The problem was only in cases where people were seen as self-promoting based on all the difficulties they were facing.

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Samsung documents confirm missing galaxy z fold 6 feature, trump falsely claims he didn’t back ‘lock her up’ chants targeting clinton while warning of ‘breaking point’ if he’s jailed.

The bottom line: Plenty of people feel stress, so you’re not alone. In addition, you can be authentic about your stress with trusted co-workers, and people will empathize with you. But going to the extent of bragging about all that’s on your plate will be damaging, so don’t overshare or use stress to try and boost your reputation.

How to Deal with Stress (Without Oversharing)

If you’re under stress, how can you be transparent, but also stop short of going overboard?

1. Focus on Others

Often, stress can make you self-focused and burnout can leave you feeling like the world has gotten smaller—collapsing inward. Focusing on others is a sure-fire way to get out of your own head and expand your perceptions.

Remind yourself about what others are going through. Most people are also struggling, with 62%-51% of people reporting they were completely overwhelmed by stress, according to a survey of more than 3,000 people by Stress in America .

Stay attuned to others, ask questions and offer to support. When you focus on others and how you can support them, you contribute to your own happiness and wellbeing. In addition, you create the conditions for bonding and camaraderie by helping, demonstrating compassion and reminding yourself you’re not alone.

Be careful that you're not self-promotional about your stress.

2. Resist Comparisons

You can unintentionally exacerbate your stress if you compare your work with others. And if you’re caught up in a story about how you’re doing more than most, you’ll create negativity in your relationships.

If you really are doing more than your fair share , you’ll want to give your colleagues feedback, hold them accountable, ask for help with your tasks or speak to your manager about it.

But if your negative evaluations of others are more perception than reality, you’ll be unintentionally contributing to your own frustration, annoyance and suffering.

Focus on your own work and doing things to the best of your ability. Show up as positively as you can, knowing you have influence on others, no matter what your formal position.

3. Ask for Help

Another trap with stress is to believe you have to do everything yourself. Get comfortable asking for help,and relying on others. They may not do things exactly as you would, but if you can manage your expectations enough to engage others in the tasks, you’ll relieve your stress significantly.

Also avoid perfectionism, and focus on excellence instead. When you overthink or overwork, you add to the pressure you face, but you also separate yourself from others, because they may not want to work with you—concerned they will never measure up to your standards.

4. Find a Friend

Perhaps one of the biggest things you can do to ensure you’re not stress-bragging is to find a trusted friend or confidant—at work or in your personal circles.

One of the characteristics of stress bragging in the research was talking to too many people, too frequently about too much stress.

Of course, you need to get things off your chest, and you need support—but seek it in small circles and behind closed doors with trusted allies.

5. Balance Honesty and Humility

While arrogance is likely to detract from your career success and advancement, humility will do the opposite. When people are both confident—with a strong point of view and real competence—and when they are also humble—acknowledging they don’t know it all and that others have important perspectives—they tend to build both relationships and credibility.

The combination of honesty, authenticity and transparency, paired with humility also improves job performance, according to research published in the journal Personality and Individual Differences .

So, cultivate your confidence and embrace your strong opinions. Perform brilliantly. But also admit mistakes, ask for help when you need it and make room for others—appreciating all they bring to the table.

Stress Builds Resilience

The good news is that going through stressful times can build your resilience. You learn how to solve problems, cope, respond and perform even in the face of difficulty. And when you are able to connect with others in the process—building rapport and relationships—you’ll contribute to your wellbeing and your happiness.

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Sign Up for Well’s 5-Day Friendship Challenge

Strengthen your bonds and find out what kind of friend you are with this weeklong friendship tuneup.

By Catherine Pearson

Friendship is healing. It helps improve long-term physical and mental health and can enhance daily well-being . But there’s evidence our social circles are shrinking. In 1990, 3 percent of Americans said they had no close friends; in 2021, that number jumped to 12 percent. Around much of the world , people are in the middle of a well-documented loneliness crisis .

The good news is, experts say, it’s relatively easy to improve your friendships. So we worked with researchers and therapists to create a five-day challenge that will help you revive wilted relationships and bring you closer to the people you value.

Starting June 10, we’ll send you one evidence-based strategy a day to help you strengthen your friendships — all of which are quick and simple (because we know how busy you are).

By the end of the week, you’ll feel more connected to your friends, and you’ll have the tools to keep those bonds strong.

What you’ll get:

Each day of the challenge will offer a brief, simple exercise to help you strengthen your platonic bonds.

How to access the challenge:

To receive each day’s challenge, sign up for the Well newsletter, which is available exclusively to New York Times subscribers. You’ll get a new exercise in your inbox each morning from June 10 to 14.

If you already receive the Well newsletter, you will automatically get the challenge, and will not see a way to sign up above. You can find out which newsletters you are signed up for here .

Vineyard police reports detail erratic behavior of man accused in stabbing rampage

WEST TISBURY — Jared Ravizza stood out on Martha’s Vineyard, even among the island’s more ostentatious visitors. Standing 6 feet, with a surfer’s build, and long hair dyed blond, he was known initially for apparent tall tales of mixing with Hollywood A-listers, running a business in Los Angeles, and working as a model.

But his seemingly abrupt mental deterioration — and an alleged attack on his father in April — stoked concern among those around him in the months before the chaos on Saturday, in which he is accused of stabbing six people in two separate incidents, and is a suspect in a third, the death of his roommate in Deep River, Conn. Police in West Tisbury said they sought to have Ravizza detained on a mental-health hold after the attack, but the local hospital declined.

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West Tisbury police were called to the Vineyard home in the early morning of April 14 after Ravizza’s father reported his son had struck him in the face and laid waste to his home office. But their efforts to have Jared Ravizza detained on a mental-health hold were rejected by an evaluator at the Vineyard hospital who said he did not meet the standards, police said in a report.

West Tisbury Police Chief Matthew Mincone said his department acted appropriately in four interactions with Ravizza over that period, including Ravizza’s alleged attack on his father, Jason Ravizza.

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“I wish something could have been done differently,” Mincone said in an interview. “It would have prevented the victims across the state” and in Connecticut.

On Tuesday, Ravizza was arraigned on charges including assault with intent to murder in the Plymouth stabbings and faces similar charges in the Braintree attack. Connecticut authorities said he is a suspect in the death of 70-year-old Bruce Feldman, whose body was found outside the Connecticut home a few hours before the Massachusetts attacks.

For some of the past few months, based on information Braintree police received from Connecticut authorities, Feldman and Ravizza had been living together in the Deep River home. A neighbor, who acknowledged to police they had issues with Ravizza over two dogs the pair had, said things escalated Saturday when Ravizza threw a shovel through the neighbor’s window.

After police spoke to the neighbors that day, they found Feldman and the two dogs dead of apparent knife wounds, according to a Braintree police report.

On Tuesday, a court psychologist recommended Ravizza undergo the evaluation at Bridgewater because he had signs of psychotic illness and delusions. She said he has had mental health difficulties for about two years.

Ravizza’s public defender has declined to comment on the case. Jason Ravizza did not respond to messages seeking comment Wednesday.

Public records show the Ravizza family owned a home in Agawam, where Jared spent time in his youth. He attended Gordon College, a private Christian college in Wenham, for one semester.

In court papers, Ravizza has talked about the importance of his family.

In petitions last year and in April to a Dukes County family court, he asked to change his name in honor of his paternal grandmother, Priscilla Jones. “Jones” was added to his name last year. In April, he asked for another name change, to Jared Love Jones, records show.

That change was about “honoring the creative brilliance and magical beauty of my entire Jones family lineage,” Ravizza wrote in a court filing.

The court agreed. A few days after the second name change, police said, Ravizza attacked his father.

His arrest for allegedly assaulting his father followed a series of interactions between Jared Ravizza and local police in West Tisbury. Those records showed signs of friction between him and Feldman, who apparently stayed with Ravizza for periods on Martha’s Vineyard, as well as signs his mental health was declining.

On Christmas morning, Feldman requested a well-being check on Ravizza, whom he believed was taking psychedelic drugs.

Feldman told a police dispatcher he was texting Ravizza “to make sure he is OK but not getting a response,” the report said. When an officer went to the house, Ravizza’s father answered the door and said his son was fine. The West Tisbury officer also spoke with Jared Ravizza and reported that everything seemed fine.

When an officer relayed to Feldman that there was no reason to think Ravizza was in danger, Feldman “began going on a rant” and worried that Ravizza was a CIA test subject and was hallucinating, according to the report.

The next month, Ravizza’s behavior during a yoga class raised enough concern that the business’s manager called West Tisbury police to say he was acting suspiciously and making strange statements, according to a report. Depending on the conversation, he’s a “professional skier then a professional DJ,” the report said.

The caller told police they didn’t believe Ravizza was a threat to anyone, and they weren’t seeking a no-trespass order. “Just wanted this documented,” police wrote in the Jan. 10 report.

Then on April 14, Ravizza’s father told police his son had suffered a “mental break and attacked him,” leaving marks on the father’s hand and face. Police detained him, at which point Jared Ravizza was “frothing out the mouth,” ranting about the “deep state,” and saying his father wanted him dead.

Officers then sent him for the mental-health evaluation and attempted to file a Section 12 order, a mechanism to detain people who pose harm to themselves or others because of mental illness. A mental health professional at Martha’s Vineyard Hospital determined Ravizza “did not meet their standards to be held via Section 12,” according to the police report.

A spokesperson for the hospital, which is part of the Mass General Brigham system, declined to comment Wednesday, citing patient privacy laws.

Ravizza was released and charged with assault and battery on a family or household member. He was granted pretrial diversion. Since the new charges were announced, the Cape and Islands district attorney’s office on Tuesday filed to revoke the diversion, according to court filings.

The allegations against Ravizza have rippled across the island, as many here recognize pictures of him as the man who made such claims as having a place in Beverly Hills, or being best friends with Chris Rock.

Gimili Glavin vividly recalls running into Ravizza — decked out in a pink hat and chains — while working at the Harbor View Hotel in Edgartown about a year ago on Mother’s Day.

“He just seemed like a cartoon character of himself, very warm and entertaining, but probably very contrived and lost inwardly,” Glavin said. “As a mother, I kind of wanted to hug him — or help him.”

At the Quarterdeck Restaurant in Edgartown, one man’s eyes widened when a reporter showed him a photo of Ravizza. “I know him!” he said.

The man, a year-round island resident who asked to be identified only as Will, said Ravizza became upset when he couldn’t hang out with him and other staffers of a local film festival. He kept trying to join the group, before giving up and trying to explain away his anger.

“He just seemed disconnected,” he said.

On Wednesday, two members of the yoga studio on State Road that Ravizza had frequented said people began to tire of his antics.

“It was a mix of his behavior, and his tall tales,” said one woman. “He was an odd character.”

Nick Stoico of the Globe staff contributed to this report.

John Hilliard can be reached at [email protected] . Sean Cotter can be reached at [email protected] . Follow him @cotterreporter .

Donald Trump found guilty in historic New York hush money case

A New York jury on Thursday found Donald Trump guilty on all 34 felony counts of falsifying business records — the first time a former U.S. president has been convicted of a crime.

The jury reached its verdict in the historic case after 9½ hours of deliberations, which began Wednesday. 

He'll be sentenced on July 11, four days before the Republican National Convention. He faces penalties from a fine to four years in prison on each count, although it's expected he would be sentenced for the offenses concurrently, not consecutively.

Follow live updates here.

"This was a disgrace. This was a rigged trial by a conflicted judge who was corrupt,” Trump fumed to reporters afterward.

The verdict was read in the Manhattan courtroom where Trump has been on trial since April 15. He had pleaded not guilty to 34 counts of falsifying business records related to a hush money payment his former lawyer Michael Cohen made to adult film star Stormy Daniels in the final weeks of the 2016 presidential election.

Trump looked down with his eyes narrowed as the jury foreperson read the word "guilty" to each count.

The judge thanked the jurors for their service in the weekslong trial. “You gave this matter the attention it deserved, and I want to thank you for that,” Judge Juan Merchan told them. Trump appeared to be scowling at the jurors as they walked by him on their way out of the courtroom.

Trump's attorney Todd Blanche made a motion for acquittal after the jury left the room, which the judge denied.

Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg would not comment on what type of sentence he might seek, saying his office would do its talking in court papers.

"While this defendant may be unlike any other in American history, we arrived at this trial and ultimately today at this verdict in the same manner as every other case that comes to the courtroom doors — by following the facts and the law in doing so, without fear or favor," Bragg said. Asked for his reaction to the verdict, Bragg, who was inundated with threats from Trump supporters during the probe, said, "I did my job. We did our job."

Trump, the presumptive Republican nominee for president, immediately set out fundraising off the news, posting on his website that he's "a political prisoner" and urging his followers to give money.

Legal experts have told NBC News that even if Trump is sentenced to time behind bars, he'd most likely be allowed to remain out of jail while he appeals the verdict, a process that could take months or more. That means the sentence would most likely not interfere with his ability to accept the Republican nomination for president at the July convention.

And it likely wouldn't impact his ability to be elected. "There are no other qualifications other than those in the Constitution,” Chuck Rosenberg, a former U.S. attorney and NBC News & MSNBC Legal Analyst said following Thursday’s verdict.

President Joe Biden's campaign praised the verdict in a statement but stressed that Trump needs to be defeated in November.

“In New York today, we saw that no one is above the law," said the campaign's communications director, Michael Tyler, but the "verdict does not change the fact that the American people face a simple reality. There is still only one way to keep Donald Trump out of the Oval Office: at the ballot box."

In his closing argument this week, prosecutor Joshua Steinglass told the jury that “the law is the law, and it applies to everyone equally. There is no special standard for this defendant.”

“You, the jury, have the ability to hold the defendant accountable,” Steinglass said.

Trump had maintained that the DA’s office had no case and that there had been no crime. “President Trump is innocent. He did not commit any crimes,” Blanche said in his closing statement, arguing the payments to Cohen were legitimate.

Prosecutors said the disguised payment to Cohen was part of a “planned, coordinated long-running conspiracy to influence the 2016 election, to help Donald Trump get elected through illegal expenditures, to silence people who had something bad to say about his behavior, using doctored corporate records and bank forms to conceal those payments along the way.”

“It was election fraud. Pure and simple,” prosecutor Matthew Colangelo said in his opening statement.

While Trump wasn’t charged with conspiracy, prosecutors argued he caused the records to be falsified because he was trying to cover up a violation of state election law — and falsifying business records with the intent to cover another crime raises the offense from a misdemeanor to a felony. 

Trump was convicted after a sensational weekslong trial that included combative testimony from Cohen, Trump’s self-described former fixer, and Daniels, who testified that she had a sexual encounter with Trump in 2006 after she met him at a celebrity golf tournament. Trump has denied her claim, and his attorney had suggested that Cohen acted on his own because he thought it would make “the boss” happy.

Other witnesses included former White House staffers, among them adviser Hope Hicks, former Trump Organization executives and former National Enquirer publisher David Pecker.  

Trump didn’t take the witness stand to offer his own account of what happened, even though he proclaimed before the trial began that he would “absolutely” testify. The defense’s main witness was Robert Costello, a lawyer whom Cohen considered retaining in 2018. Costello, who testified that Cohen had told him Trump had nothing to do with the Daniels’ payment, enraged Merchan by making disrespectful comments and faces on the stand. At one point, the judge cleared the courtroom during Costello’s testimony and threatened to hold him in contempt. 

Cohen testified that he lied to Costello because he didn’t trust him and that he’d lied to others about Trump’s involvement at the time because he wanted to protect his former boss.

Cohen was the lone witness to testify to Trump’s direct involvement in the $130,000 payment and the subsequent reimbursement plan. Blanche spent days challenging his credibility, getting Cohen to acknowledge he has a history of lying, including under oath.

Cohen said he was paid the Daniels cash in a series of payments from Trump throughout 2017 that the Trump Organization characterized as payments pursuant to a retainer agreement “for legal services rendered.”

Prosecutors said there was no such agreement, and Cohen’s version of events was supported by documentary evidence and witness testimony. 

Blanche contended that the series of checks then-President Trump paid Cohen in 2017 “was not a payback to Mr. Cohen for the money that he gave to Ms. Daniels” and that he was being paid for his legal work as Trump’s personal lawyer.

Testimony from Jeff McConney, a former senior vice president at Trump’s company, challenged that position. McConney said the company’s chief financial officer, Allen Weisselberg, told him that Cohen was being reimbursed for a $130,000 payment, and prosecutors entered Weisselberg’s handwritten notes about the payment formula as evidence. Cohen said Trump agreed to the arrangement in a meeting with him and Weisselberg just days before he was inaugurated as the 45th president.

Weisselberg didn't testify. He’s in jail on a perjury charge related to his testimony in New York Attorney General Letitia James’ civil fraud case against Trump and his company. Cohen, McConney and other witnesses said Weisselberg, who spent decades working for Trump, always sought his approval for large expenditures. 

In all, the prosecution called 20 witnesses, while the defense called two.

Trump had frequently claimed, falsely, that the charges against him were a political concoction orchestrated by Biden to keep him off the campaign trail. But Trump eventually managed to bring the campaign to the courtroom, hosting top Republicans, including House Speaker Mike Johnson of Louisiana and Sens. JD Vance of Ohio and Rick Scott of Florida, as his guests in court. Trump also used court breaks to tout political messages to his supporters, while his surrogates sidestepped Merchan’s gag order by attacking witnesses, individual prosecutors and Merchan’s daughter.

Merchan fined Trump $10,000 during the trial for violating his order, including attacks on Cohen and Daniels, and warned he could have him locked up if he continued violating the order.

Cohen celebrated the verdict in a post on X. "Today is an important day for accountability and the rule of law. While it has been a difficult journey for me and my family, the truth always matters," Cohen wrote.

Trump was indicted in March of last year after a yearslong investigation by Bragg and his predecessor, Cyrus Vance. The charges were the first ever brought against a former president, although Trump has since been charged and pleaded not guilty in three other cases. None of the three — a federal election interference case in Washington, D.C., a state election interference case in Georgia and a federal case alleging he mishandled classified documents and national security information — appear likely to go to trial before the Nov. 5 presidential election.

Adam Reiss is a reporter and producer for NBC and MSNBC.

Gary Grumbach produces and reports for NBC News, based in Washington, D.C.

Dareh Gregorian is a politics reporter for NBC News.

Tom Winter is a New York-based correspondent covering crime, courts, terrorism and financial fraud on the East Coast for the NBC News Investigative Unit.

Jillian Frankel is a 2024 NBC News campaign embed.