Different Types of Friendships In Adulthood
Life’s challenges can be overwhelming; everyone deserves a space to feel heard and supported. At Roamers Therapy, we provide trauma-informed, culturally sensitive, LGBTQIA+ affirming, and evidence-based environments to help you heal, grow, and navigate your mental well-being journey. As your psychotherapist, we are here to guide you every step of the way.
In adulthood, we encounter various types of friendships, each with its own level of closeness, boundaries, and benefits. These relationships can range from acquaintances, who we know slightly and may see occasionally, to lifelong friends, who have been a part of our journey for years. Casual friends often share common interests or hobbies, while work friends bring the added benefit of support in the professional environment. Close friends provide emotional intimacy and trust, while best friends offer the deepest levels of connection. Lifelong friends stand as pillars of consistency, often rooted in shared experiences and memories from earlier stages of life. Each type of friendship plays a distinct and valuable role in our emotional well-being and sense of belonging.
Types of Friendships in Adulthood
There are different types of friendships we may encompass in adulthood. These friendships have different levels of closeness or boundaries, but they each have their own unique values or benefits:
- Acquaintances
- Casual Friends
- Work Friends
- Close Friends
- Best Friends
- Lifelong Friends
Acquaintances
Acquaintances are people we know slightly. We may chat with acquaintances or even see them every so often at larger group events, for example. These types of relationships tend to be a little more superficial and less intimate.
Research shows that speaking to an acquaintance daily can increase happiness and emotional wellbeing, and decrease feeligns of loneliness or isolation. Other benefits include friendly, positive interactions and networking opportunities.
Casual Friends
Casual friends are a step up from acquaintances. While some people may not spend time with acquaintances, they may spend time with casual friends in specific situations. This can include hobbies (like an art class or working out), social groups (like a book club), or work.
Like acquaintances, casual friends are not the most intimate relationship. However, casual friendships are important for shared interests and hobbies.
Works Friends
Work friends are a form of casual friendship; however, they can also become very close and intimate. We often spend much of our day with these friendships through work.
Work friendships are essential due to the unique benefits they offer:
- Prevents burnout
- Enhances job satisfaction
- Reduces stress
- Boosts productivity
Close Friends
Close friendships are relationships with high levels of trust and intimacy. They take time to form. Examples of close friends can be former schoolmates, roommates, or coworkers.
The benefits of close friendships include:
- Higher confidence
- Lower stress
- Outlets for distress
- Emotional support
- A higher sense of belonging
- Lower sense of loneliness
Best Friends
Best friendships are close relationships with some of the highest levels of trust and intimacy. Someone’s best friends are the friends they are closest to and who may know the individual the best. Best friendships are often mutual (e.g., we’re each other’s best friends), but not always.
The benefits of best friendships include many of the same benefits of close friends, along with a deep sense of trust, love, and intimacy.
Lifelong Friends
Lifelong friends are friendships that have existed throughout life. They often have familiar or childhood ties. They can be our best friends or our close friends, but not necessarily.
Lifelong friendships offer a unique blend of benefits, which include:
- A sense of belonging
- Stability or consistency
- Lifelong memories
- Shared experiences
Takeaways
- Different types of friendships in adulthood include acquaintances, casual friends, work friends, close friends, best friends, and lifelong friends, each offering unique benefits.
- Acquaintances and casual friends provide opportunities for positive interactions, networking, and shared hobbies but tend to be less intimate.
- Close and best friends bring deeper emotional intimacy, trust, and support, contributing to a sense of belonging and lower stress.
- Lifelong friends offer stability and consistency, often tied to shared experiences and memories throughout life.
While our physical offices are located in South Loop and Lakeview neighborhoods in Chicago, Illinois for in-person sessions, we also welcome and serve clients for online therapy from anywhere in Illinois and Washington, D.C. Clients from the Chicagoland area may choose in-office or online therapy and usually commute from surrounding areas such as River North, West Loop, Gold Coast, Old Town, Lincoln Park, Lake View, Rogers Park, Logan Square, Pilsen, Bridgeport, Little Village, Bronzeville, South Shore, Hyde Park, Back of the Yards, Wicker Park, Bucktown and many more.
At Roamers Therapy, our psychotherapists are here to support you through anxiety, depression, trauma and relationship issues, race-ethnicity issues, LGBTQIA+ issues, ADHD, Autism, or any challenges you encounter. Our psychotherapists are trained in Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Dialectical Behavioral Therapy, Psychodynamic Therapy, Acceptance, and Commitment Therapy, Person-Centered Therapy, and Gottman Therapy.
Whether you’re seeking guidance on a specific issue or need help navigating difficult emotions, we’re ready to assist you every step of the way.
Contact us today to learn more about our services and schedule a session with our mental health professionals to begin your healing journey. To get started with therapy, visit our booking page.
First, decide if you’ll be paying out-of-pocket or using insurance. If you’re a self-pay client, you can book directly through the “Book Now” page or fill out the “Self-Pay/Out-of-network Inquiry Form.” If you’re using insurance, fill out the “Insurance Verification Form” to receive details about your costs and availability. Please let us know your preferred therapist. If your preferred therapist isn’t available, you can join the waitlist by emailing us. Once your appointment is confirmed, you’ll receive intake documents to complete before your first session.
This page is also part of the Roamers Therapy Glossary; a collection of mental-health related definitions that are written by our therapists.
While our offices are currently located at the South Loop neighborhood of Downtown Chicago, Illinois, we also welcome and serve clients for online therapy from anywhere in Illinois and Washington, D.C. Clients from the Chicagoland area may choose in-office or online therapy and usually commute from surrounding areas such as River North, West Loop, Gold Coast, Old Town, Lincoln Park, Lake View, Rogers Park, Logan Square, Pilsen, Bridgeport, Little Village, Bronzeville, South Shore, Hyde Park, Back of the Yards, Wicker Park, Bucktown and many more. You can visit our contact page to access detailed information on our office location.