friendship

How to solve the Gen Z social isolation problem? She tried surfing and it worked

8:00am November 30, 2024

Young people today spend nearly 1,000 fewer hours per year hanging out with friends in person than they did 20 years ago. Some solutions for the loneliness epidemic are coming from unlikely places.

National

Photos of a 3-year friendship that ended with an unsolved murder in New Mexico

8:34am April 30, 2024

by Andrés Mario de Varona

Photographer Andrés Mario de Varona recounts his relationship with Aaron Garcia, which began outside a gas station near his home in Santa Fe, through a series of photos captured between 2020 and 2023.

Two women are sitting and talking. Woman psychologist practicing with patient women. Coach session between girlfriends. Therapist's gestures. Female talking and drinking a cup of tea

Health & Safety

Close friends can help you live longer but they can spread some bad habits too

12:33pm November 20, 2023

by Maggie Mertens

Don't skip Friendsgiving. A large new study confirms that close friendships are vital to our health. But BFFs tend to share certain vices, too.

How many friends do Americans have? A survey crunched the numbers

5:16pm October 25, 2023

by Manuela López Restrepo

A study released this month from the Pew Research Center has delved into what friendship in the U.S. looks like, and just how much they mean to us.

Jason Silverman, on the exercise bike, and his friend Melissa Mills go to the gym together when they hang out. The pair are part of the Friendship Project in Framingham, Massachusetts.

Health & Safety

Chipping away at the 'epidemic of loneliness,' one new friendship at a time

5:10am September 11, 2023

by Priyanka Dayal McCluskey

A growing body of research shows loneliness has profound implications for physical and mental health. Some organizations in Massachusetts are trying to help people connect to lessen those affects.

A comic illustrating three ways that you can show affection to your friends. On the left a woman hugs her friend and says,"She makes the best enchiladas in the whole world!" In the middle a woman is talking on the phone saying, "Well of course you got the raise! You've been kickin' butt!" And on the right, one friend tells another, "You're my favorite person. Do you know that?"

9 more ways to show your friends you love them, recommended by NPR listeners

8:50am October 07, 2022

by Malaka Gharib

Last month, we asked NPR's audience to share creative ways they show affection in their platonic relationships. Some ideas? Ask friends how they're really doing ... and give them the gift of time.

Queue Listen Now

Maintaining friendships and social networks during the pandemic often takes effort.

Young People Struggle To Keep Friends Close As Pandemic Pulls Them Apart

1:40pm February 23, 2021

by Hadia Bakkar

The pandemic has prolonged the post-graduation transition amid a tough economy. With the lack of in-person interaction, young professionals are trying to adjust to a diminishing social circle.

A growing field of science shows that friendship is vital to our health.

Survival Of The Friendliest: How Our Close Friendships Help Us Thrive

7:01am February 22, 2020

by Elena Renken

In her new book, Lydia Denworth makes the case for the vital necessity of friendship, tracing its effects on your genes, on your brain and even on animals like sheep and fish.

Health & Safety

Guys, We Have A Problem: How American Masculinity Creates Lonely Men

9:00pm March 19, 2018

Boys get the message quickly: a man is supposed to be strong and independent. That message, researchers say, has widespread consequences for men's social lives and physical health.

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A friendship between a four-year-old and an 81-year-old might seem unlikely, but Dan Peterson says Norah Wood gave him a reason to live again after his wife died.

Health & Safety

An Unexpected Friendship Brought The Sun Out Again For A Grieving Man

12:44pm November 21, 2017

by Erika Lantz

After his wife died, Dan Peterson didn't know what to do with himself. Then, he found a new friend in an unlikely place: the grocery store.

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