The Importance of Friendship: A Path to Better Health and Well-being

“Friendship is unnecessary, like philosophy, like art… It has no survival value; rather it is one of those things that give value to survival.” — C. S. Lewis

While our friendships indeed give value to our lives, contrary to this quote, research reveals that friendships are more than just a source of joy and companionship. I have spent my career researching and documenting the role of our relationships for our physical health and our risk for mortality. Friendships do have survival value.