Friendship
![Two people sit at a table with coffee cups, near a window overlooking a rainy scene with parked cars and trees in the background.](https://images.aeonmedia.co/images/c2f2dfea-5afd-43b4-98ed-abc26aaf3280/rt-gettyimages-1415182904.jpg?width=3840&quality=75&format=auto)
Worry and rumination
idea
Rehashing your problems with friends can turn into a bad habit
Although ‘co-rumination’ bolsters relationships in some ways, it also distracts from other, better coping methods
by Shayla Love
![Three older men in cheerful mood are inside a bar or pub with painted red walls](https://images.aeonmedia.co/images/506ba405-720e-436c-a7ca-30ede81b2569/original.jpg?width=3840&quality=75&format=auto)
Friendship
idea
Is it better to have friends who are like you or different from you?
Studies of longterm friends offer surprising insights as to whether friends who are more or less alike tend to endure
by Christian Jarrett
![Group of people sitting at colourful tables outside a cafe with a lit sign reading ‘cantina’ in a modern, well-lit indoor space.](https://images.aeonmedia.co/images/bb19caae-210a-45be-b57d-5167a31c37ff/original.jpg?width=3840&quality=75&format=auto)
Social anxiety
guide
How to overcome social anxiety
When even everyday social situations make you feel self-conscious and afraid, it’s time to try these well-tested techniques
by Fallon Goodman
![Two puppets in silver spacesuits lie against a starry backdrop, surrounded by makeup items. One puppet has short black hair, the other has bright green hair.](https://images.aeonmedia.co/images/d658b244-400a-4b11-a1a3-13f4a40da999/blush_still5.jpg?width=3840&quality=75&format=auto)
Friendship
film
Fatu treks into the glamorous unknown during his first outing in makeup
Directed by Iiti Yli-Harja
![Two women with braided hair sitting on a park bench, smiling and engaging in conversation. One faces the camera, while the other is seen from behind.](https://images.aeonmedia.co/images/5863f16d-7152-46c3-9c17-aed6375eb8bb/original.jpg?width=3840&quality=75&format=auto)
Friendship
idea
For Beauvoir, it’s friendship that lets us become truly ourselves
For Simone de Beauvoir, friendship, even more than love, was the means to overcome the tragedy of our radical separation
by Skye C Cleary
![Market stalls with fruits, two people in green vests, one man with a mask and grocery bag, advertisement board, and cherry blossom trees.](https://images.aeonmedia.co/images/5a373aff-ce5b-4411-a65e-49556d623225/original.jpg?width=3840&quality=75&format=auto)
Friendship
idea
Empathic friends can provide the right kind of peer pressure
Research on empathy development in adolescents suggests an under-appreciated potential for positive peer influence
by Marta Miklikowska & Lauree Tilton-Weaver
![Painting of two women at a table; one looks down and the other glances sideways, holding a small red object.](https://images.aeonmedia.co/images/8cd97b18-9d74-4dbb-a164-f1fa22ecfebf/original.jpg?width=3840&quality=75&format=auto)
Friendship
guide
How to support a struggling friend
Sometimes it’s hard to know what to say or do. Use these five strategies for providing effective emotional support
by Elise Kalokerinos
![Three girls dancing in a bedroom; one on a bed in blue outfit, others on the floor wearing casual clothes. The room has pink curtains and a blue lamp.](https://images.aeonmedia.co/images/f34e1348-ca77-4e90-9669-363690e3d1c3/original.jpg?width=3840&quality=75&format=auto)
Life stages
film
A nostalgic ode to being 15, fearless and in love with the world
Directed by Celia Willis
![Various coloured stone rings of different sizes arranged on a blue background.](https://images.aeonmedia.co/images/33ddaeb3-220b-4735-9d9e-34232997397b/original.jpg?width=3840&quality=75&format=auto)
Rituals and celebrations
idea
Far-flung ancient communities forged bonds through broken rings
What can the fragments of Neolithic slate rings found in Finland tell us about social relationships 6,000 years ago?
by Marja Ahola, Elisabeth Holmqvist & Petro Pesonen
![Close-up of a person with a beard wearing a black shirt with white, stitched letters spelling out “NO VAX”.](https://images.aeonmedia.co/images/7d6957a2-be0c-4495-a0cd-9a51e56ba69c/original.jpg?width=3840&quality=75&format=auto)
Communication and language
idea
Why you shouldn’t shrink from challenging your loved ones’ views
Care is warranted when arguing with friends and family. But you can be respectful and still point out the flaws in their views
by Matt Ferkany
![Two people play chess outdoors near a colourful graffiti wall and blooming tree; industrial buildings and stormy sky in the background.](https://images.aeonmedia.co/images/7e173667-4349-482f-978c-4fe28bc06725/original.jpg?width=3840&quality=75&format=auto)
Neurodiversity
guide
How to be a good friend to an Autistic person
Autistic and non-autistic people see the social world differently. But openness and empathy can foster a valuable bond
by Abby Sesterka & Erin Bulluss