Democracy Dies in Darkness
On Your Mind

A loneliness cure — make one friend a year

Five ways to build or enhance one close friendship this year

Advice by
February 16, 2024 at 7:00 a.m. EST
An illustration of two dogs playing. In-between them, in the background, you can see their owners talking to each other on a bench.
(Celia Jacobs for The Washington Post)
6 min

In my psychotherapy practice, when someone is feeling lonely and craving more from their friendships, I encourage them to work on making one dear friend that year who could be someone they already know.

The landmark Harvard Study of Adult Development suggests that close relationships are the most significant factor in personal well-being — yet it is not the number of relationships, but the quality of the connection that matters. Gaining one closer friend in 2024 may significantly boost your life satisfaction, as friendship is known to protect against stress and improve mental health. And one friend a year is manageable, yet could lead to three friends in three years and a handful of friends in five.