Friends Can Be Good Medicine

Posted in For Reading by Sheila on October 1st, 2009

In 1982 Californians began seeing billboards and bumper stickers reading ‘Friends can be good medicine.’ Newspaper, radio and even TV spots were also part of the campaign. This simple message was being disseminated throughout the state at a cost of millions of dollars. Who could possibly gain from such an investment?

The remarkable thing is that Friends can be good medicine was a campaign sponsored by the California Department of Mental Health.

A friend of mine worked on that campaign, and he pointed out that the State’s motivation was practical and financial, not ‘touchy-feely’ (despite the fact that Jerry Brown was governor at the time!)

Extensive medical evidence had recently pointed out that people who have strong friendships have greater physical and mental health. The equation was simple:

More friends = fewer patients = greater healthcare savings

Such a practical acknowledgement of the value of friendships was certainly encouraging, but wasn’t it rather self-evident?

Not exactly. Because the core message of the campaign was the need for people to put more creative energy into developing and maintaining friendships. Following the campaign, studies showed that it had a ‘measurable impact on knowledge, attitudes, behavioral intentions, and support-enhancing behavior.’

Put simply, we tend to take our friendships (and family relationships, which was a subset of the campaign) for granted far too often. A simple reminder about the value of friendships went a long way toward encouraging people to make an extra effort to make and maintain contact, to reach out, to connect.

Unfortunately, the successful campaign was never repeated (George Deukmejian, a republican, succeeded the liberal Jerry Brown). But I’d like to extend its legacy. I’d like to encourage you to take on board the key message of Friends can be good medicine, and look at your own friendships and family relationships and ask yourself this question:

What can I do today to reach out to a friend?

Go on. Do it. It’s good for you!

With warmth,

Sheila