Spending Time With Your Close Friends Might Be Bad For You
Close friends, that you have known for years — aren’t they amazing to spend time with?
It’s a common belief that spending time with close friends is always a good thing. After all, friends provide emotional support, laughter, and companionship. However, recent research suggests that spending too much time with your close friends might actually be bad for you. In this article, we’ll explore why this might be the case.
1. Groupthink
One potential negative outcome of spending too much time with close friends is groupthink. Groupthink occurs when a group of people prioritize consensus and agreement over critical thinking and independent judgment. In other words, groupthink can lead to a lack of diversity of thought and a reluctance to consider alternative perspectives.
This can be particularly problematic if your close friends all share similar beliefs, values, and opinions. Spending too much time with these friends could lead to an echo chamber effect, where you only hear ideas and viewpoints that reinforce what you already believe. This can make it difficult to challenge your assumptions and expand your thinking.
2. Complacency
Another potential downside to spending too much time with close friends is complacency. When you’re around people who know you well and accept you for who you are, it’s easy to become comfortable and complacent. You may stop pushing yourself to grow and improve because you feel like you don’t need to.
This can be especially problematic if your close friends aren’t particularly ambitious or motivated themselves. You may start to adopt their attitudes and behaviors, even if they aren’t in line with your own goals and aspirations.
3. Envy and competition
Spending time with close friends can also lead to envy and competition. Even if you genuinely care about your friends and want them to succeed, it can be difficult not to compare yourself to them. If you see your friends achieving goals or reaching milestones that you haven’t yet achieved, it’s natural to feel a sense of envy or even resentment.
This can be exacerbated if your close friends are highly competitive or constantly comparing themselves to others. In this kind of environment, it’s easy to start feeling like you’re not measuring up and to become obsessed with keeping up with your friends.
4. Unhealthy habits
Finally, spending time with close friends can sometimes lead to the adoption of unhealthy habits. This could include anything from binge drinking to eating junk food to smoking. When you’re with people who engage in these behaviors, it can be difficult to resist the temptation to join in.
This can be especially problematic if your close friends are a significant part of your social life. If you spend most of your free time with them, you may find it difficult to break away from these unhealthy patterns.
So what should you do if you’re worried about the negative effects of spending too much time with close friends?
One approach is to intentionally seek out diversity of thought and perspective. This could mean spending time with people who have different backgrounds, beliefs, and experiences than you do. By exposing yourself to a wider range of ideas and viewpoints, you’ll be less likely to fall into the trap of groupthink and complacency.
Another approach is to set clear boundaries with your close friends. This could mean carving out time for yourself to pursue your own interests or goals, even if it means spending less time with your friends. It could also mean being honest with your friends about your concerns and asking them to support you in your efforts to grow and improve.
Ultimately, spending time with close friends can be a source of joy, comfort, and support. However, it’s important to be aware of the potential downsides and to take steps to mitigate them. By being intentional about who you spend time with and how you spend that time, you can maintain strong relationships while also nurturing your own growth and development.
Look for talented people, who will challenge you, help you grow, and inspire you to maximize your potential. People who live life to the fullest and actively try to make the world a better place, instead of complaining about all the misfortunes they’ve had.
Who you surround yourself with is who you will become.
