Male bonding can be a lot of fun and you may not really think about it as love. But that is exactly what it is. Did you know that having strong friendships can be highly beneficial for you overall health?
Let’s check out some of the benefits of having loving friendships as well as what you can do to meet new friends.
Reduce Stress
While some stress is okay, high levels of stress can be…well, stressful. That is not fun. If you are struggling with constant stress or anxiety that negatively impacts your ability to function, it is good to have friends, but you may also want to speak with a mental health profession. You can find professional, qualified therapists at BetterHelp in practically no time at all.
High stress levels can make it hard to concentrate and can harm your well-being, but research shows that male friendship may actually increase oxytocin in the brain. This can help you cope with stress and increase your ability to relax.
Oxytocin may even reduce the stress on your heart and allow you to live longer. Oxytocin can also decrease pain and lower cortisol levels. Seems like an easy way to vastly improve your well-being!
Physical Health
Having great friendships can actually boost your physical health and reduce your risk of several severe issues including heart attacks and diabetes. In fact, this effect could be profound. One study shows that it can lower your risk of premature death by 50 percent! This may be because loneliness and lack of social interaction has been linked to poor health.
Friends also encourage you to be healthier. They may go to the gym with you or help you set meaningful goals. They can also tell you when you should go to the doctor or how to limit your drinking.
Support
Having a positive support system can be extremely beneficial as well. Friends can offer guidance or just be someone to talk to when we face difficult challenges. It is important to have positive people in your life.
Sure, you may have a girlfriend or a wife that offers support, but it is also important to have a support system of the same sex because they can offer advice and support that a female may not be able to through personal experience.
How to Make New Friends
Studies show that men are just as likely as women to crave friendships, but sometimes it can be difficult to form new friendships and grow menaginful bonds with other men. There are some very natural and very innate motivations for approaching and talking to women that do not exist for searching for male friends.
There are some things that you can do that may help you find new male friends. A lot of men may be hesitant to meet new guys because they view others as competition. Try to eliminate the desire to compete with other men and remember that we are our own worst critic. Then, you will likely have to make some sort of an effort to branch out.
Try to stay relaxed. When you meet women, you probably do not want to seem too eager. Same thing goes with making friends with dudes. A good place to start is with the men that you work with. Sure, you may not get along with all of them, but if there are any that you enjoy talking to on occasion, try asking them to join you for a barbeque or at a bar.
You can also explore opportunities to meet people that relate to your interests. Find people who share similar interests and talk about them. These conversations will likely expand to other topics that can create a strong bond between you.
You can even take a class or join a club related to your interests. Many communities have active clubs and learning opportunities for new hobbies as well. This can allow you to find something that you enjoy or to finally get into a hobby that you have always been interested in, but never found the time to explore deeply.
There are also tons of networking groups within different career paths and professions. This gives you a common interest was well as challenges to start a conversation. There are tons of different groups on social media that may help you find friends in your area as well.
You may even try going to local events to meet like-minded individuals. You may be interested in concert performances, art shows, rodeos, festivals, or your local chamber of commerce if you are an entrepreneur. This is a great place to get out there.
One of the easier ways to meet new people is at a place that you already go to regularly. If there is a guy that you often see at your corner store and chat with, see if he wants to play pool or go fishing. If you work out at the gym, ask a guy to be your spotter or to play a game of one-on-one basketball.
Conclusion
Many guys have trouble meeting new people. Plus, when men begin careers and start a family, we often neglect friendships. However, it is best to retain a male support system. There are tons of places to meet guys and not all of them will work for you.
The main thing is to put yourself out there and be yourself. Don’t expect to meet someone the first time you try. And even if you do, they may not be the type of friend that you are looking for. However, you should have success if you put in the time and effort, and it may be highly beneficial to your overall health and well-being.
