Why men need bromances like Justin Bieber and Usher’s or Ben Affleck and Matt Damon’s to live longer and happier lives
- Having good friends can boost your physical, mental and emotional health, no matter your sex
- Men need to overcome gender stereotypes, and open up and be vulnerable with their friends, say experts
Eason Chan and Nicholas Tse; Matt Damon and Ben Affleck; Justin Bieber and Usher; and Edwin Siu and Raymond Cho – more than being famous entertainers, these celebrity duos are also long-time best friends.
Actors and filmmakers Damon and Affleck, for instance, met when they were in primary school and went on to make and star in several movies together, including the 1997 film Good Will Hunting, for which they won an Academy Award for best original screenplay.
When Affleck was battling alcoholism, Damon was one of his pillars of support. In January 2017, at the Live by Night premiere, Affleck told Entertainment Tonight about the importance of his friendship with Damon: “I can’t tell you how valuable it is to have somebody who’s been through things with you, ups and downs, who knows what your life experience is like, who can identify with that. It’s an incredibly valuable friendship and it’s very precious …”
When we think of close friendships, female friends usually come to mind, but it’s just as crucial for men to have strong connections with one another.
According to Ho Shee Wai, a psychologist at The Counselling Place in Singapore, having good friends can boost our physical, mental and emotional health in a number of ways. “Strong, meaningful friendships can increase happiness, lower stress, improve self-confidence and strengthen immunity,” she says.