CNN health | 5 ways to repair a friendship (or leave it behind if toxic)

(CNN) – When a friendship hits a stumbling block, how do you know whether to work on the relationship or let it go?

It can be tempting to let a friendship fade instead of facing conflict — especially when life feels overwhelming in other ways — because conflict is hard. But we are already facing a loneliness epidemic, and relationship repair carries further urgency in the face of biological evidence.

“It actually is a matter of life and death,” wrote Lydia Denworth in her book, “Friendship: The Evolution, Biology, and Extraordinary Power of Life’s Fundamental Bond.” “It is carried in our DNA, in how we’re wired. And that means friendship is not a choice or a luxury; it’s a necessity that is critical to our ability to succeed and thrive.”  —read more—