There is plenty of evidence suggesting that relationships are good for your health, be it friendships or marriage. Researchers have found that when people in a couple are put under pressure they produce fewer stress-related hormones than their single counterparts. There are also findings that have shown married people live longer and have less heart disease and other health problems, particularly if the relationship is built upon shared trust and respect.
A study by Cystic Fibrosis Worldwide showed that approximately 70% of people with CF don’t experience difficulties in interpersonal relationships. Overall, 75% indicated that the difficulties they experience with interpersonal relationships do not make their quality of life worse. The highest levels of difficulties were expressed for items reflecting a lack of understanding from friends about the demands CF places on the individual, i.e. feeling different from peers, a concern that CF is stressful for those close to the CF person and concerns regarding fertility. Other things in life seemed to compensate for these difficulties.
For those having trouble developing friendships or relationships there are some great websites worth visiting:
- http://au.reachout.com/How-to-make-friends
- http://www.gottman.com/54756/About-Gottman-Method- Couples-Therapy.html