In the Media – 5 Ways your friendships might be unhealthy (HerCampus.com)
HerCampus.com
HerCampus.com (screenshot)
The conventional wisdom: Friendships are good for your health. But some friendships are unhealthy.
In this article in the collegiette magazine HerCampus.com, Iris Goldsztain writes:
Your friends are your rock; you can always count on them for a good laugh or a shoulder to cry on. You’d be lost without them, right? Well, not necessarily.
Your friendships could actually be hurting you and your health much more than you might think. Some friends might be unhappy or unhealthy themselves, but you shouldn’t be afraid to move on from friends who are just plain bad news for your health.
We asked collegiettes to share their bad friendhip experiences, and we checked in with experts to make sense of these situations and help you (and your friend!) through some sticky situations.
In the article, Goldsztain describes five scenarios that characterize different types of unhealthy friendships. For example, describing the example of a friend to whom you compare yourself, she asked Dr. Levine for her thoughts:
Don’t worry if you have a tendency to compare yourself to others, because “comparing ourselves to our friends is natural,” Dr. Levine says. “Unless it is to excess, it can be motivating. A thin friend can help motivate us to lose weight. A brainy friend can encourage us to study more, etc.”
But on the other hand, “if you lack confidence, you may not see your friend realistically and underestimate the traits you have that she might envy,” Dr. Levine says.
Read the HerCampus.com article in its entirety.
Category: IN THE MEDIA, OTHER ADVICE
