Inside the Powerful Benefits of Friendships on the Mind and Body​Inside the Powerful Benefits of Friendships on the Mind and Body 

 Strong friendships have many benefits for the mind and body, including reducing the risk of chronic illness, so board-certified psychiatrist and author Sue Varma stops by TODAY to share her expert tips for making friends. She explains that it can take “50 hours to make a regular, casual friend” and up to “200 hours to make a bestie,” so she recommends showing up to places consistently, making small plans, being vulnerable, and focusing on “being interested versus interesting.”  ​​Strong friendships have many benefits for the mind and body, including reducing the risk of chronic illness, so board-certified psychiatrist and author Sue Varma stops by TODAY to share her expert tips for making friends. She explains that it can take “50 hours to make a regular, casual friend” and up to “200 hours to make a bestie,” so she recommends showing up to places consistently, making small plans, being vulnerable, and focusing on “being interested versus interesting.”