Celebrating Friendships, and Not Just Romance
As Valentine’s Day is less than a week away from us now, the beginning of the romance starts as we see gifts from chocolates and jewelry for that special someone, to Amazon recommending “Date Night” picks the second you open the app/website. However, while it is very sweet to see people get items for the people they romantically care about, it’s also important to celebrate other relationships besides romantic ones, such as familial and platonic relationships because it’s important for friendships to be celebrated on a holiday such as this one.
Humans are naturally social beings, whether you like talking to people or not. According to HelpGuide.org, good friends help relieve you of stress and instead, replace it with comfort and joy, boosting your physical health and pumping out everyone’s favorite hormone, dopamine, the neurotransmitter that allows us to feel pleasure and satisfaction. Good friends help you become a better version of yourself and are willing to support you and lift up your spirits! They often help you create new habits and maintaining goals. For example, people like to work out and exercise with their friends to create positive experiences while doing the activity, which makes them more inclined to work out again (VeryWellmind). Friends also help combat your sense of loneliness, which according to VeryWellmind, loneliness can be linked to health issues such as high blood pressure, substance abuse, and even heart disease. Friends can be the best remedy for you during both the highs and lows of life, which is why such healthy platonic relationships should be equally celebrated and prioritized during this holiday about love because platonic love is both sweet and hearty.
However, I know many people aren’t that keen on talking to people. For some people, they can have a hard time mingling with others due to circumstances that they can’t control such an anxiety or trauma. But, friends can come in all forms, even pets! According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), pets help you get more opportunities to exercise and feel valued because how can you resist an innocent creature looking at you with all the love in the world?
Pets also help managing loneliness and depression, as well as decrease blood pressure levels, cholesterol levels, and triglyceride levels. According to the News In Health, although research on human-pet interactions is relatively new, pets-like human friends-also match their human friend’s intentions and personality. Do you want a friend who’s more lowkey and chill, but still available for cuddles? Maybe a cat will fit you! Would you like a furry friend who encourages you to walk outside and be physically active, as well as constantly give you attention? Perhaps a dog! This adaptability gives the ability for everyone to have a pet fit for them!
Although romantic relationships are beautiful in and of itself, they can be a bit overidealized on a day that celebrates all love, not just romantic. Friendships can be equally as important and should be celebrated since not only are many friendships the gateway for a more intimate connection, they are also healthy for you, no matter whether it is between two humans, or a pet owner and their fur baby.
Sources
https://newsinhealth.nih.gov/2018/02/power-pets
https://www.verywellmind.com/the-importance-of-friendship-3024371
