Some of the more apparent benefits of having friends include: increasing your self-confidence and self-worth, reduced stress, helping you avoid unhealthy lifestyles such as drugs, drinking too much, and not exercising, increased sense of purpose and belonging. It helps coping with problems that come up, such as break-ups, illness, death of a loved one, work problems, and even help you deal with loneliness.
As I have matured, I've noticed the number of friends I have dropped as they started prioritizing their families and work. Some have moved away and others, like myself, have changed, and we no longer have the same things in common. What I've found is that it takes more work to make new friends and to keep them. If you don't have a history with someone, you can't think back and reference everyday experiences that would hold your friendship together. What ends up happening is that your new acquaintances never become friends, unless you make an effort to include them in your personal life and form lasting bonds.
One option I recommend is using the Meetup application to meet new people with similar interests. As you sign up, the app will ask you what your interests are and recommend social groups you can join that are in line with your interests. This has been an excellent opportunity to meet new people, find support, learn about new things, pursue new ventures, and simply break up the routine and get out of your comfort zone.
No matter how busy you might get, take time to develop social interaction and maintain good friendships. When possible, make the worthwhile investment to foster new ones, because the enjoyment and comfort friendships provide will enrich your life. Also, remember that everything you learn is going to come from someone around you. Therefore creativity comes from human interaction.