Friendship

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Painting of three women, one holding a hat, standing on a bridge with a blurred landscape in the background.

Emotions

idea

For young people, emotions are highly contagious social viruses

Like viruses, our internal mental states are socially transmissible, and it’s easier to catch happiness than depression

by Jack Andrews

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.

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

Photo of two people in a pool, wearing floral swim caps using inflatable pink flamingo rings, with bunting overhead.

Friendship

guide

How to make friends as an adult

Friendships give us so much. Be bold, take the initiative, and you’ll be surprised how many people are pleased to connect

by Marisa G Franco

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.

Life stages

film

A nostalgic ode to being 15, fearless and in love with the world

Directed by Celia Willis

Photo of two people sitting at a table by a window, talking and drinking coffee, with a rainy view outside.

Worry and rumination

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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

Photo of three older men in a pub, smiling and wearing caps. The background has pub mirrors and a red wall.

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

Painting of two people sitting at a table with blurred green foliage in the background, one person resting their head.

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

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.

Friendship

film

Fatu treks into the glamorous unknown during his first outing in makeup

Directed by Iiti Yli-Harja

Photo of a man with a beard wearing a black shirt that has “NO VAX” in large white letters appliquéd on it.

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

Photo of an outdoor market with fruit stalls, a masked man carrying bags and two people in green vests walking past.

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

Photo of two people playing chess outdoors, seated on tyres near a graffiti-covered wall and blooming tree under cloudy skies.

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