How teen friendships shape your mental health as a young adult

Author: Hillary Hoffower

Young adults who felt more connected as teens are less likely to experience mental health issues.

Friendship can save lives. 

Young adults who felt more connected — defined as engaged, supported, and cared for — at home and school during their teen years are 66% less likely to experience mental health problems and risks, reported HealthDay News, citing a CDC study published by the journal Pediatrics. 

That includes a 65% lower lifetime risk of misusing illegal drugs, including prescription drugs; a 54% lower risk of being diagnosed with an STD; and a 51% lower risk of being a victim of physical violence in the past year, according to the study.
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"What happens in middle and high school doesn't stay in middle and high school," researcher Kathleen Ethier, director of the Division of Adolescent and School Health at the CDC, said in a press release. "What we experience as adolescents can set us up for success — including avoiding serious health risks like drug use and STDs."

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