The Meaning of Friendships in the Mental Health Recovery of Young Adults—A Thematic Analysis

Friendships are vital for the well-being of young adults, yet their social network is often reduced during episodes of life-disruptive mental distress, such as psychosis. Despite this, our study shows that young adults do either maintain or build friendships during such periods and that these relationships are crucial for recovery in youth. As research on the role of friendships in the recovery journey of this group is limited, this study explores the significance of friendships for young adults engaged in early psychosis interventions to generate insights that can inform mental health recovery practices. In-depth life-story and intensive interviews were conducted with six young adult users of early psychosis intervention OPUS. Using abductive thematic analysis, two main themes and four subthemes emerged: (1) “Seeking different kinds of recovery support with different types of friends” with subthemes (1.1) “Seeking safety in life-witnessing friendships” and (1.2) “Shaping identity with friends in communities of interest”; and (2) “Belonging and unbelonging with friends and their significance to recovery in youth” with subthemes (2.1) “Struggling with friendship expectations perpetuates social isolation” and (2.2) “Connecting with friends enables belonging to humanity as a whole.” The findings highlight that, while social isolation can reinforce feelings of alienation, belonging with friends instills a sense of hope and meaning. The involvement of friends in early psychosis interventions may enhance social skills training, strengthen social bonds, and support the inclusion and well-being of young adults.