The Importance of Friendship

In an earlier post, I discuss the concept of social capital and its importance to individual and group functioning.  Over at Mindhacks, they've posted about the U.S. Government's effort to promote friendship as a way to help ease the suffering of those with mental health problems.  They briefly review the same findings re: social connectivity and improved functioning, and even have a link to a list of journal articles that document this impact.  There's no better time of year to emphasize the importance of family and friends to each other's well being, as the holiday season seems to be the one moment when most of us take the time to connect to those we care about.  If you are considering making some New Year's resolutions this year, why not resolve to stay more connected throughout the year?  In the long run, not only will your friends appreciate it, you'll be better off also.  Oh, and by the way, the government web page ("What a Difference a Friend Makes") can be found here, and has a link in the list to the right.