Health Tips Part 2: Friendship and Companionship

We are looking at habits and tips to help you live the fullest life. This week we are going to discuss friendship and companionship. Looking at both the bible and scientific studies it appears that there is conflicting data. I could select studies and bible verses to support whatever opinion.

Not only is it hard to really do any unbiased study normally, studying something like friendship and support it is hard to eliminate confounding variables. Our selection and level of intimacy with our friends leaves a less than ideal cause and effect relationship, there is more involved. Looking through some scientific articles and bible verses we can come to some idea that good friendships are beneficial, but no relationship is better than destructive relationships or people.

Before you go off writing off all your friends keep in mind that everyone is going to be flawed, but unity and deep bonds is something that God desires for us. He wants us to become one body. Reviews have seen that being vulnerable combats shame (Okano, 1994).

Positives

Greater loneliness, low levels of emotional support and companionship were found to be associated with an increased probability of having a coronary condition (Sorkin et al. 2002).

“ The glory which You have given Me I have given to them, that they may be one, just as We are one; I in them and You in Me, that they may be perfected in unity, so that the world may know that You sent Me, and loved them, even as You have loved Me.” John 17:22-23

“Bear one another’s burdens, and thereby fulfill the law of Christ.” - Galatians 6:2

“ Therefore, confess your sins to one another, and pray for one another so that you may be healed. The effective prayer of a righteous man can accomplish much.” - James 5:16

“A friend loves at all times, And a brother is born for adversity.” - Proverbs 17:17

“Iron sharpens iron, So one man sharpens another.” - Proverbs 27:17

“Two are better than one because they have a good return for their labor. For if either of them falls, the one will lift up his companion. But woe to the one who falls when there is not another to lift him up. Furthermore, if two lie down together they keep warm, but how can one be warm alone? And if one can overpower him who is alone, two can resist him. A cord of three strands is not quickly torn apart.” - Ecclesiastes 4:9-12

Negatives

“But actually, I wrote to you not to associate with any so-called brother if he is an immoral person, or covetous, or an idolater, or a reviler, or a drunkard, or a swindler—not even to eat with such a one.”- 1 Corinthians 5:9-12

“It is better to live in a corner of a roof Than in a house shared with a contentious woman.” - Proverbs 21:9 and Proverbs 25:24

“Do not be deceived: 'Bad company corrupts good morals.’” - 1 Corinthians 15:33

More time with the wrong people bring stress, not life

The social and environmental factors of obesity can be spread greater through person-to-person interactions (Christakis & Fowler, 2007)

Conflicting Data

“Faithful are the wounds of a friend, But deceitful are the kisses of an enemy.” - Proverbs 27:6

Working out with a friend, can help you, but can also make you not go if they cancel. It can make you not work as hard if they want to chat or make you have to motivate the two of you, making it harder. Additionally, if they cancel, it can give you another reason to not workout.
*** IF YOU HAVE A GOOD ONE KEEP THEM!!  : ) ***

Romantic relationships: You will tend to even each other out. Someone overweight with someone at  the recommended weight would tend to have the overweight person lose some weight while the other would gain some weight.

“Talking about one's feelings with a friend in anticipation of a stressful event (guiding a spider through a maze in a participant-modeling task) did less to reduce stress than did talking about problem-solving or unrelated content.” (Costanza, 1988).


Having close friendships is stressed in the Bible, therefore I highly advise you live in a community. It can yield great benefits for both of you, you just need to be discerning.

<3 Jessica

References:

Bible verses are NASB

Carrell, S. E., Hoekstra, M., & West, J. E. (2011). Is poor fitness contagious?: Evidence from randomly assigned friends. Journal of Public Economics, 95(7-8), 657-663.

Christakis, N. A., & Fowler, J. H. (2007). The spread of obesity in a large social network over 32 years. New England journal of medicine, 357(4), 370-379.

Costanza, R. S., Derlega, V. J., & Winstead, B. A. (1988). Positive and negative forms of social support: Effects of conversational topics on coping with stress among same-sex friends. Journal of Experimental Social Psychology, 24(2), 182-193.

Okano, K. I. (1994). Shame and social phobia: A transcultural viewpoint. Bulletin of the Menninger Clinic, 58(3), 323-338.

Sorkin, D., Rook, K. S., & Lu, J. L. (2002). Loneliness, lack of emotional support, lack of companionship, and the likelihood of having a heart condition in an elderly sample. Annals of Behavioral Medicine, 24(4), 290-298.