{"id":22240,"date":"2024-06-11T12:18:47","date_gmt":"2024-06-11T02:18:47","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.relationshipsnsw.org.au\/?p=22240"},"modified":"2025-04-15T16:44:23","modified_gmt":"2025-04-15T06:44:23","slug":"male-friendships-recession","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.relationshipsnsw.org.au\/ar\/blog\/male-friendships-recession\/","title":{"rendered":""\u0631\u0643\u0648\u062f \u0627\u0644\u0635\u062f\u0627\u0642\u0629": \u0644\u0645\u0627\u0630\u0627 \u064a\u0643\u0627\u0641\u062d \u0627\u0644\u0631\u062c\u0627\u0644 \u0645\u0646 \u0623\u062c\u0644 \u0628\u0646\u0627\u0621 \u0627\u0644\u0623\u0635\u062f\u0642\u0627\u0621 \u0627\u0644\u0645\u0642\u0631\u0628\u064a\u0646 \u0648\u0627\u0644\u062d\u0641\u0627\u0638 \u0639\u0644\u064a\u0647\u0645"},"content":{"rendered":"\t\t
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In 2023, Leonard<\/span> embarked on a month-long \u201cquest\u201d<\/span> to make new friends and reconnect with old ones. <\/span>Writing for <\/span><\/span>The Washington Post<\/span><\/span><\/a>, <\/span>h<\/span>e <\/span>recounted his experiences joining<\/span> run clubs, <\/span>hiking<\/span>, text<\/span>ing<\/span> instead of call<\/span>ing<\/span>, and even <\/span>signing<\/span> up to play pickleball.\u202f<\/span><\/span>\u202f<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/h6>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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While Leonard might be unique in publicly sharing his social experiment, he\u2019s not alone in his struggle.<\/p>

Like many, he realised that after having kids<\/a> and moving cities, he’d drifted away from friends and socialising had dropped off his priority list. As pointed out by the experts he interviewed, he did this at his peril because social connection does wonders for our physical and mental health<\/a>.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t

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How friendship boosts men\u2019s health<\/h2>

According to the Australian Men\u2019s Health Forum<\/a>, men with mates have been found to live longer, experience less loneliness<\/a> and have a decreased risk of mental illnesses. In fact, having no meaningful relationships is as bad for health as smoking 15 cigarettes a day.<\/p>

Women also experience the positive impacts of friendship, with a University of Queensland study<\/a> finding people in their 40s and 50s were less likely to develop chronic conditions.<\/p>

A survey studying friendship<\/a> over the past three decades found that men\u2019s friendship circles were shrinking more than women\u2019s, reporting smaller social networks and naming fewer \u2018close\u2019 friends.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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\u202fThe difference between male and female friendships\u202f<\/h2>

Dr Robin Dunbar, evolutionary psychologist<\/a> and friendship researcher, explains that women make friends based on who someone is and men are more focused on what they do.\u202f\u202f<\/p>

\u201cMen\u2019s friendships are more clubby, and in some sense anonymous \u2013 it matters more what you are than who you are,\u201d he explained.\u202f\u202f<\/p>

\u201cIn other words, do you belong to my club? If you do, that qualifies you to be a friend, and anybody who ticks that box can be substituted in…\u201d\u202f<\/p>

With this mentality, men\u2019s friendships can become activity-based and happen in groups, which means they can avoid deeper conversations.\u202f<\/p>

That\u2019s not to say men shouldn\u2019t have shared hobbies or hang out in groups, but when they\u2019re not meaningfully connecting with friends, counsellor Justin Pere warns it can impact<\/a> their romantic relationships.<\/p>

\u201cThe over-reliance on romantic partners for emotional support can strain relationships,\u201d he said.<\/p>

\u201cIt\u2019s vital to cultivate a community for varied perspectives and support, yet many males often press forward in their romantic relationships with the expectation that a primary partner can and should meet all of their emotional needs.\u201d<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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Why men struggle to form close friendships\u202f\u202f<\/h2>

In trying to understand the friendship gap between men and women, experts point to several factors, with ongoing societal pressures and gender expectations having a lot to answer for.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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A post shared by Relationships Australia NSW (@relationshipsnsw)<\/a><\/p><\/div><\/blockquote>