*

Why Friendships Are Important?

 

All our lives, we make friends, befriend neighbors and connect with coworkers only to lose touch with them because of relocation, illness, conflicts or other reasons. But, why are we addicted to social ties? The reason seems to be anthropological. Humans thrive in the context of social ties. We form our self-identity in relation to how others around us are doing.

A 2010 meta-analysis of 148 mortality studies published in PLoS Medicine journal found that the mortality risk associated with a lack of a strong social network was comparable to smoking up to 15 cigarettes every day, or more than 6 alcoholic drinks a day.

 

*

How Many Friends Do We Have?

 

A Gallup poll from 2013 finds that, on average, Americans have nine “close friends” (a mean of 8.6), not including their relatives. This includes 45% of Americans who say they have six or more close friends, 39% who have between three and five close friends, and 14% who have one or two close friends.

Only 2% of Americans say they have no close friends. The current average represents a slightly lower number of close friends than reported in 1990 and 2001, when Americans said they had an average of 10 friends (means of 9.9 and 9.5, respectively).

 

*

 

Life goes on. Hopes rise and dreams flicker and die. Love plans for tomorrow and loneliness thinks of yesterday. Life is beautiful and living is pain. ~ Hunter S. Thompson

 

*

Our Social Media Savvy Teens Are More Lonelier Than Ever:

 

These days, kids take a break from video games to dabble, once in a while, in real life. If something is not required to be done, they would rather not do it at all. That is the state of affairs. Children are turning to video games as an escape to the boredom of real life. They’re using their need to interact and talk to others by chatting with strangers and virtual friends.

They are so wired for instant connected that they don’t pause long enough to realize that these superficial online connections will not necessarily lead to deep meaningful long lasting relationships in their lives.

 

*

 

Decline In Friendship Trend

 

*

Our Lonely Teenage Girls:

 

Our teen girls are spending less time shopping, meeting friends and going out for movies than any other generation that has passed. They’re spending Saturday nights alone surfing social media.

A 2019 Pew Research center survey found that 36% of girls report being extremely anxious every day. They’re anxious about school shootings, global warming, and their ability to afford college.

Teen girls are becoming increasingly risk averse and report that their mothers are their best friends. They are likely to become less self-sufficient.

 

 

*

 

Today, an estimated 28% of all American homes are single-person households, according to a 2018 report from the US Census Bureau. Nearly 5% of the US population lives in retirement homes. More than 2 million Americans are incarcerated, according to a 2018 report from the Bureau of Justice Statistics.

 

* * *

 

About The Article Author:

Our mission with FutureSTRONG Academy – to grow children who respect themselves, their time and their capabilities in a world where distractions are just a click or a swipe away.

I see myself as an advocate for bringing social, emotional and character development to families, schools and communities. I never want to let this idea out of my sight – Our children are not just GPAs. I’m a Writer and a Certified Master Coach in NLP and CBT. Until 2017, I was also a Big Data Scientist. In December of 2044, I hope to win the Nobel. Namasté

Write to me or call me. Tell me what support from me looks like. 

Rachana Nadella-Somayajula,
Program Director & Essential Life Skills Coach for Kids and Busy Parents

The Antidote To Loneliness

 

Yes, there is joy, fulfillment, and companionship, but the loneliness of the soul in its appalling self-consciousness is horrible and overpowering. ~ Sylvia Plath

The Importance of Touch For Our Human Immune System

The Importance of Touch For Our Human Immune System

*   Touch improves everything and can relieve us from a lot of miseries. It’s a physical need like sleep, exercise, and relationships and has the following benefits:   • Touch strengthens our immune system significantly, while a lack thereof weakens it...

read more
FREE Organization and Decluttering Resources For Seniors

FREE Organization and Decluttering Resources For Seniors

* Peace Or Possessions?   As we age, we increasingly understand what truly matters in life. Not material wealth, not expensive jackets, not even real estate property that we carefully and deliberately acquired. As such, it is also increasingly difficult to let go...

read more
How To Be A Mindful Parent

How To Be A Mindful Parent

* What Are We Doing When We Are Mindful?   Let us find out how we know we're being mindful at any given time. We are doing these below things if we're being in the moment. • Putting the focus on us not on external things• Creating distance and objectivity•...

read more
Why Radical Self Compassion Is The Key To Empowerment

Why Radical Self Compassion Is The Key To Empowerment

*   We all carry baggages of “what-ifs” and “what-else’s” with us, and at the same time give ourselves unlimited freedom to judge ourselves. Will we stop and call the stranger on the street all the names we call ourselves? Then, why do we think we can do that to...

read more
Why Fear Death When It Can Be The Biggest Motivator Of All

Why Fear Death When It Can Be The Biggest Motivator Of All

* Our Relationship With Immortality:    People who don’t know what to do on a lazy Sunday afternoon want to live forever. That’s the lure of immortality. All throughout our lives, we strive for wealth, fame, knowledge and happiness. We also long for immortality...

read more

Questions, just ask!

Text or Call: 678.310.5025 | Email: info@futurestrongacademy.com

Bringing a Group? Email us for a special price!

%d bloggers like this: