Friendship Day 2026: Why platonic intimacy matters for mental health
Friendship is often treated as something optional in adult life, a pleasant addition if time permits but rarely viewed as essential to health. Yet mental health experts are increasingly challenging that idea. Emerging research and clinical observations suggest that deep, emotionally meaningful friendships are not simply social comforts. They may act as a measurable indicator of long-term mental, physical, and cognitive wellbeing. Strong friendships have been linked with lower stress, improved emotional regulation, healthier ageing, stronger immune responses, and even reduced risk of chronic disease.
Experts describe this phenomenon as platonic intimacy: close, emotionally safe, non-romantic relationships built on trust, mutual support, belonging, and consistency. At a time when modern adu...
