relationships
5 Reasons Why You Shouldn’t Ghost Your Friends!
October 25, 2020
By Saira Khan
Sometimes it’s easy to get caught up with our own life and forget about others. Maybe we’re busy with work or a new relationship, and we end up forgetting to reply or check up on our friends…and inevitably, we end up ghosting them. This blog is all about why we shouldn’t ghost our friends.
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You may have heard the saying, “anything is possible when you have the right people to support you”. This doesn’t go without merit as our surroundings have a large impact on our personalities and decisions. Studies have shown time and time again, that the less social support you feel you have, the higher the chances are of reduced mental wellbeing.
Friendship is something that when successful, is quite frankly- priceless. Friends are the family you choose- they hype you up, celebrate your achievements with you and support you when things don’t work out.
How does this work, you ask?
1) Increased feelings of belonging
Everyone needs a place, a setting they feel they are appreciated in. To put it simply, do you remember in school or in university when you’d show up late to a lesson/lecture alone and be super anxious about walking in? However if your squad is sat there, waving you down and calling you over, texting you when to enter or where exactly they’re sat- it all becomes okay. That’s because you feel comfortable with them, anything can happen as long as they’re around to egg you on (or laugh at you)!
2) Sense of purpose
This one’s a bit of a selfish one, but truly speaks to our position in the lives of others. The same way your friends (should) keep you grounded, you keep them grounded. Science has shown that if you’re in a bad mood, your friends will be too! You are a valuable and worthy contribution to their lives, and seeing the effects of this will uplift your spirits often and generally make you happier.
3) Lower stress levels and support in tough times
Well, everything in this list would presumably lower your stress levels, and lower stress levels mean better mental wellbeing. It means less overthinking and less worrying, allowing you to explore and hone in on other parts of your personality.
Less stress means you get to see yourself at your best. And for the times you’re not quite there, a strong social support group will help to soften the blow. Things are never quite as scary when you have a good friend. Knowing you’re not alone and help is only a phone call or text or vague emoji in the group chat away, means that every hardship doesn’t hit as hard.
4) Higher confidence and self-esteem
This one is pretty self-explanatory. Shooting your shot is easier when you have your squad cheering you on- telling you that you’re better than the doubts in your head. We already know sending “that” message is always easier when you’ve consulted the group chat beforehand! This one ties into all of the above- feeling valued and being acknowledged by those you admire and perhaps respect, increases your confidence and self-esteem.
5) Happier
Having just one good friend will make you happier. For all of you out there, if you don’t feel all of the above with/about your friends- maybe it’s time to evaluate whether they’re good for your mental health. Nothing will make you happier than dropping toxic relationships. After all, there is nothing better than a good friend… except maybe a good friend with chocolate!
So, to conclude, a good friendship has a significant positive effect on mental wellbeing. In fact, a strong social network has been shown to increase your lifespan by increasing your physical wellbeing as well. Not only is it proven to reduce chances of anxiety and depression, it can make you happier and stronger, and more confident. So, if there are all these benefits to having a good friend, why would you ever ghost them?
A key point I’d like to highlight here is that your friends heavily shape who you are and who you become as a person– they influence your attitudes and your decisions. So pick your team carefully, after all:
Narrated AbuHurayrah:
The Prophet (ﷺ) said: A man follows the religion of his friend; so each one should consider whom he makes his friend.
Written by: Saira Khan
A recent Psychology graduate who enjoys blogging and baking in their spare time.
Find me on Instagram: @bakesbysaira
