IF your circle of friends has shrunk recently, you’re not alone. Studies show that contemporary friendship networks are a quarter the size they were 35 years ago.
The state of our world has increased overt avoidance (watching TV alone rather than enjoying movie night with the gang) as well as covert avoidance (showing up but texting instead of interacting). Technology and the after-effects of lockdown have added another layer of awkwardness to our interactions.
‘Altogether, human beings have never been more disconnected,’ says Jody Carrington, author of Feeling Seen: Reconnecting in a Disconnected Yet both experience and science have proven time and again that good relationships are essential for health and happiness. Loneliness poses as great a risk to wellbeing as alcoholism or smoking 15 cigarettes a day. And strong social circles are known to help us de-stress, and enjoy greater resilience and productivity.
