Friends are good, but because of friendship, “the likelihood of smoking increases by 48%.”

There is a saying called ‘friendship recession’. The term was coined after the Center for American Life Survey reported that the size of friend groups has decreased and the number of Americans without close friends has increased dramatically over the past 30 years.

A decrease in the number of people who share friendships has a negative impact on society. Some argue that a decline in friendship leads to a decline in civic participation. The biggest problem is loneliness. Loneliness makes a person’s immune system more vulnerable to disease and accelerates the progression of the disease.

Considering the harm that loneliness brings, we need to build more friendships with our friends. However, according to a study published in the journal Epidemiology and Psychiatric Sciences, there is a ‘dark side’ to friendship.

Michigan State University researchers looked at data from nearly 13,000 adults over the age of 50 to examine associations between various aspects of friendship and 35 health and well-being outcomes. “Unlike previous studies that explored the impact of marriage or parent-child relationships on health, our study focused on how friendships affect health,” the researchers said.

The study found that friendship reduced the risk of death by 24%, stroke risk by 19%, and depression risk by 17%. However, there were also some negative effects of friendship. Friendships were found to increase the likelihood of smoking by 43% and the likelihood of excessive drinking by 48%.

“It is true that having frequent good friendships leads to longer lives, happier people in almost every way, and healthier personalities,” the researchers said. “But as our friendships become better, we drink a little more, which we might not expect. “You end up smoking a little more, which is usually what people tell you not to do.”

“This phenomenon may be due to something called the friendship amplification system, which means that friends can amplify your good or bad behavior,” the researchers explained.

However, the researchers emphasized, “It is not a good idea to spend the second half of life without friends due to fear, drinking or smoking,” and “despite the rise in drinking and smoking, people with loyal friendships are still living longer.”