If you don't have a pleasant relationship with your neighbors, or a relationship with them at all, maybe you should give it a shot.

house, picket fence
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A new study from the School of Social Work at Rutgers University found frequency of contact with neighbors can be directly associated to one's psychological well-being.

Using national data from a 10-year period, the study said people with "low quantities of neighbor relationships" rated themselves worse over time for personal growth, self-acceptance, purpose in life and other measures. The data included more than 1,000 adults, ages 40-70.

"While there isn't great evidence from our study that neighbors might be able to help us from feeling depressed, neighbors can serve as an important part of our psychosocial landscapes and help people in middle and later life continue to experience the aspects of psychological well-being that kind of make life worth living," said Emily Greenfield, study author and associate professor at Rutgers.

Greenfield said having someone on the other side of the fence may not matter so much to people when they're young, but it can make a difference as they get older. From sharing meals and bringing in the mail to assistance in emergencies, offering transportation and social interaction, the study found that the communication with neighbors can increase our feelings of well-being.

"I think it's fair to say that neighbors have been, for the most part, overlooked, even though everybody has neighbors," she said.

 

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