Overview

• Trust and reliability anchor lasting friendships and support emotional resilience.
• Physical interactions trigger oxytocin and endorphin release, boosting mood in ways online contact cannot.
• Online connections generally function as acquaintances and lack the depth of face-to-face bonds.
• Research suggests individuals can maintain roughly 150 relationships but only a few qualify as truly close friendships.
• With one in six people experiencing loneliness globally, close friendships emerge as a vital public health resource.