How many friends do you need to be happy?

2024 Author: James Gerald | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 14:00

Don't have a hundred rubles, but have a hundred friends. Scientists have long said that loneliness does not have the best effect on the psyche and on the state of health in general. However, you shouldn't get too carried away with friends. Especially on social media. Otherwise, there is a great risk of simply losing your individuality, or even bringing yourself to depression.

By the way, in the spring, the site ZD.net published the results of research by scientists from the University of Western Illinois, who found that a large number of friends on social networks is a sign of narcissism, writes rbcdaily.ru. The specialists spoke with 292 college students and carefully analyzed their behavior. As a result, it was found that those with a large number of friends on the social network Facebook, as a rule, score more points in a special test for identifying addictions to narcissism.

Communication in social networks is a fairly new and little-studied phenomenon. However, experts are already trying hard to determine the pros and cons of virtual friendship. In particular, Spanish scientists have identified a kind of "limit of happiness" for regulars on Facebook and Twitter. According to them, if the number of your friends has exceeded 354 people, then this is alarming.

The fact is that regular communication with a large number of different people can destabilize the psyche. After all, we constantly, consciously or subconsciously, compare ourselves with others. And taking the corrected version of the life of others for reality, a person loses self-confidence, becomes irritable and constantly catches himself thinking that the life of others is brighter and more interesting.

Thus, psychologists strongly recommend checking your friends lists from time to time and, if necessary, crossing out those people with whom virtual communication does not bring a person much pleasure.