Mental Health Isn’t a Solo Sport: Why Your Family and Besties Deserve MVP Status

TL;DR? Your Mental Health Squad Is a Big Freakin’ Deal

Let’s be honest—life can feel like a never-ending group project with no clear instructions and way too many surprise quizzes. When things get tough (or weird, or just plain exhausting), having your people—your ride-or-die friends and your slightly dysfunctional but deeply loyal family—can make all the difference between spiraling and surviving.

So let’s break down why these relationships matter so much and how they tag-team to keep our mental health from crashing and burning.

Friends: The Therapy You Don’t Have to Book in Advance

We love a good therapy session, but sometimes all you really need is your best friend, a group chat, and three hours of meme sharing to feel human again.

Close friends are the real MVPs of emotional triage. They’ll listen to your “it’s probably not a big deal but I’ve been spiraling for three days” rant without blinking. They’ll talk you out of texting your ex again. And most importantly? They make you feel like you’re not totally losing it.

I once called my best friend sobbing over a broken microwave and 15 minutes later we were laughing about how I apparently equate malfunctioning appliances with existential dread. That’s friendship magic.

Reality Checks with a Side of Sass

Sometimes you don’t need a hug—you need your friend to say, “Babe, maybe don’t quit your job and move to Bali just yet.”

Close friends bring something family often can’t: fresh perspective, zero sugarcoating. While your mom might just say, “Everything will be fine, sweetheart,” your best friend will say, “Okay, but did you maybe cause 30% of that drama?”

And we love them for it. They keep us grounded, honest, and occasionally humble.

Stress Relief? It’s Called Brunch, Not Breathing Exercises

Sure, mindfulness is great and journaling is cute, but have you ever vented to your best friend for an hour and walked away feeling 10 pounds lighter (emotionally, not physically—we still ordered pancakes)?

Whether it’s screaming into the void via voice notes or laughing till you cry over inside jokes, your friends are basically emotional pressure valves. They don’t fix everything—but they do make it bearable.

Friendship = Mental Gym Membership

Strong friendships don’t just help in the moment. They make you more resilient long-term. Like, life throws lemons, and thanks to your friends, you’re out here making cocktails instead of crying into citrus fruit.

Good friends remind you who you are when you forget. They challenge your negative self-talk, cheer on your wins (even the tiny ones like getting out of bed), and show up when you’re too tired to even ask.

That’s not just cute—that’s legit psychological scaffolding.

Family + Friends: The Ultimate Dream Team

Let’s not pit them against each other—this isn’t emotional Survivor. Family and close friends both bring something different (and crucial) to the table.

Family is your foundation. They're there for the “I-need-to-borrow-your-car-and-also-sob-on-your-couch” moments. They love you even when you’re being a little insufferable. And if you’ve got a supportive family? Hold onto them like they’re rare Pokémon cards.

But friends? They’re often the ones who really get you—the “you” you’ve grown into, not just the one who liked dinosaurs in third grade.

Together, they balance you out: old roots, new branches. You need both

You don’t need to be a mental health guru to know that strong relationships = better emotional health. But let’s stop treating friends like they’re the optional bonus level. They’re essential. They’re life-saving. They’re the ones keeping you from texting your ex at 2 a.m. after two glasses of wine.

So text your bestie. Hug your mom. Call that friend you’ve been meaning to catch up with. Your brain—and your heart—will thank you.