BLOOMINGTON – In recognition of National Friendship Day on Sunday, July 30, three IU Health Behavioral Health experts – Annie Cheek, LCSW, Drew Heckman, Ph.D., and Dayana Ferrera, LMHC – are sharing information about the importance of social interactions and friendship.
“Humans are social creatures,” says Dr. Heckman. “Loneliness is often an emotion we feel, designed to motivate connectedness.”
“Lack of social support and community can contribute to feelings of depression which in turn can amplify isolating and withdrawing from others,” Ferrera says. “Studies have shown that having at least one supportive person in our lives can have a positive impact on mental health.”
“In my experience, loneliness is a huge driver of substance use and other addictive behaviors,” continues Cheek. “It can frequently cause people to feel they have no connection to others or the outside world, leading them to try to connect to something else, such as a substance.”
Finding new friends as an adult can be difficult. Some tips from the experts above include:
- Make friends at work
- Join a group, class, or club
- Find a location where people have similar interests (for instance, church, the gym, in-person gaming, or yoga studios)
- If you have a dog, go to the dog park and talk to the other dog owners
- Find free events in the community to attend
- If you have anxiety, try to join a group with other individuals who have anxiety
“It is ok to start by being around others without the expectation of becoming friends,” says Ferrera. “Just being open to being around and getting to know others can be good practice for getting to know your comfort zone and practicing interpersonal skills.”
Find the full Q&A session with these experts at https://iuhealth.org/thrive/friendship-and-mental-
health.
