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New York Post
5 hours ago
- General
- New York Post
How many close friends do you really need? New research shows a certain number is attainable
In 2025, many of us are living alone. Or we live with housemates, cotenants, flatmates – people who may share a fridge, a lease, even a dog, but not necessarily our inner world. While the population swells in our cities, and digital devices keep us constantly connected, many of us live in a kind of emotional isolation. We go to work, we cook our meals, we scroll our phones, we answer messages – and still feel deeply alone. Advertisement For generations, it was a given that our romantic partner, our spouse, was also our closest confidante – the person we could cry in front of, confide in, lean on when the day had simply been too much. But for some, the presence of a partner only throws the lack of connection into sharper relief. Intimacy cannot be assumed. And for the growing number of people living solo, the question becomes starker: if not a partner, then who? 5 On average, people with high well-being have five people they can rely on; those with poorer mental health report just over three. Donald Pearsall / NY Post Design The answer, it turns out, is friends. Not a friend. Friends – plural. Research from News Corp's Growth Distillery with Medibank reveals that those with the best self-reported mental wellbeing are also those with the most people in their corner. On average, people with high well-being have five people they can rely on; those with poorer mental health report just over three. Advertisement That gap might sound small, but in practice, it's enormous. It's the difference between feeling like there's always someone you can call, and running through a dwindling mental list of names when things start to unravel. The data is compelling. It confirms what many of us know instinctively, but sometimes forget to prioritise: that connection is not an optional extra — it is vital. Friendship is not a decoration for a busy life. It is one of the structures that hold us upright. 5 Research from News Corp's Growth Distillery with Medibank reveals that those with the best self-reported mental wellbeing are also those with the most people in their corner. oneinchpunch – And yet, many Australians don't feel able to build or rely on that structure. The research also found that nearly half of us feel unprepared or unsure how to talk about mental health – even when someone turns to us for help. Advertisement And when it comes to talking about our own struggles, we hold back out of fear: not fear of judgement, but fear of burdening others. We silence ourselves to protect the people we care about, not realising that this silence builds barriers where we need bridges. What emerges from this research is not just a picture of loneliness, but a profound uncertainty about how to connect in meaningful ways. Many of us are deeply social in practice – attending events, replying to group chats, showing up for work drinks – but feel emotionally cut off. We keep things light. We're funny, dependable, and generous. But not vulnerable. Not fully ourselves. And in doing so, we miss out on the nourishment that true connection can bring. 5 Friendship is not a decoration for a busy life. It is one of the structures that hold us upright, according to the research. Xavier Lorenzo – Advertisement It's tempting to try to solve this with another app, a new social initiative, a government-funded campaign. And those all have their place. But there's something more elemental at stake here – something that doesn't require policy or innovation, but courage. We need to talk to our friends. Really talk. We need to be brave enough to say, 'I'm not okay.' Or even just, 'I'm struggling today.' We need to listen to each other without scrambling for solutions. To be present, even if we don't have the perfect words. Of course, that kind of honesty doesn't appear overnight. It takes time and trust. But the alternative – isolation, both physical and emotional – carries its own costs. Mental ill-health is not just a personal issue. It's a public one. It affects families, workplaces, healthcare systems, and communities. And it's growing. We cannot afford to pretend that mental well-being is something people can cultivate entirely alone. The most resilient among us still need others. 5 We need to talk to our friends. Really talk. We need to be brave enough to say, 'I'm not okay.' Or even just, 'I'm struggling today.' StratfordProductions – That's why the link between support networks and mental health is so powerful. It gives us something tangible to work with. If we want to improve wellbeing, we can start by expanding our circles. That might mean reaching out to old friends and suggesting a catch-up that's more than just a walk-and-talk. It might mean gently probing when someone gives a breezy 'I'm fine' that doesn't ring true. It might mean noticing who is always the listener and never the speaker – and inviting them to take up space. These small actions don't always feel like mental health interventions, but they are. A text message that says 'thinking of you' might be the first step out of someone's emotional fog. A regular coffee catch-up might become someone's only appointment they truly look forward to. We don't need to be therapists to be impactful. We just need to be consistent and willing to show up – even imperfectly. And we need to remind ourselves, too, that we are not burdens. If someone cares for us, they probably want to know how we really are. It is not weak to need others. It is human. 5 If we want to improve wellbeing, we can start by expanding our circles. That might mean reaching out to old friends and suggesting a catch-up that's more than just a walk-and-talk. Adene S/ – Advertisement In a culture that prizes independence and stoicism, this may feel radical. But if the research tells us anything, it's that no one thrives in isolation. We thrive in connection. We flourish in friendship. So maybe the real message from all this data isn't about mental health campaigns or social trends. Maybe it's simpler. Maybe it's this: pick up the phone. Send the message. Make the plan. Build the net before you fall. Because one day, you might need it. And so might someone else.
New York Post
02-06-2025
- Politics
- New York Post
How Ukraine pulled off its stunning ‘Pearl Harbor' attack against Russia
Ukraine was able to pull off its stunning 'Operation Spider Web' attack on Russian air bases and nuclear fleet by hiding explosive-laden drones in wooden sheds, according to officials. Kyiv's secret services (SBU) stashed the attack drones inside the roofs of the sheds, which were loaded onto trucks that were driven to the perimeter of the air bases, Ukrainian authorities revealed in a statement shared on social media. The roof panels were then lifted off by a remotely-activated device so the drones could fly out and enact their devastating attacks. 5 'Operation Spiderweb' Image showing mobile wooden cabin as it self destructs after launching dozens of drones hundreds of miles inside Russia. 5 This undated and unlocated handout picture, released on June 1, 2025 by the Security Service of Ukraine shows Ukrainian military drones. SECURITY SERVICE OF UKRAINE/AFP via Getty Images The dramatic and carefully planned Sunday assault took Russian President Vladimir Putin and his forces completely unaware. Some 34% of Russia's Tu-95 bomber fleet, equipped to carry nuclear payloads, was reportedly wiped out in the raids on five air bases across the country, the SBU said on Sunday. 5 A view of a fire at the territory of an agrofirm after Ukrainian drones struck near Rylsk in the western Kursk region of Russia. AP A total of 41 Russian warplanes were hit in the strikes, causing an eye-watering $7 billion in damage, Ukrainian officials said. 5 'Operation Spiderweb' Images showing the drones used in the attack placed in the roofs of 'mobile wooden cabins' which were then being transported by truck when they were launched. 5 The map of the Ukraine drone attacks in Russia. Donald Pearsall / NY Post Design The attack, which involved strikes on bases some 4,000 miles from the Ukrainian border, has already been branded 'Russia's Pearl Harbor' by gloomy pro-Moscow military bloggers. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky praised the 'absolutely brilliant outcome' of his country's 'longest-range operation' to date, writing on the messaging app Telegram.
