Having a partner is a good way to socialise too as you meet people in couples. "Relationships are the asset which can get us through good times and bad, and it is worrying to think that there are people who feel they have no one they can turn to during life's challenges. It also appears that work can be quite a lonely place too: 42% of people said they had no friends at work. My 12-year-old, going on 13, doesn't seem to have any close friends. Or maybe it the fact that Im not meeting new people lately? But for some reason, our little friendships never step outside the usual environments. Of course, we all have our little quirks but then we are all human.I imagine it must be strange to not have a friend to tell a funny story to or have another point of view given if you need it. I don wish to do it but it just happen. Pick a person you'd like to have a conversation with or share an experience with and find something to do together. Here are two common reasons for having friends but not having close friends: Needless to say it was the start of the demise of our friendship. My elderly mother has never had any friends and I've found it burdensome as she's become older TBH. Firstly, it sounds like you are a bit younger than I am (I'm now 27). I m always organizing get together, like to bring people together. Nope. Contributors control their own work and posted freely to our site. Yeah it's normal for me. It takes a bit of persistence, but it's worth it. I make up quantity with quality. After her son, Sebastian, was born, life became harder. I have a former au pair who has become part of the family. Millions of people in the UK do not have a single friend and one in five feel unloved, according to a survey published on Tuesday by the relationship charity Relate. I don't look for friendship like other people do. As for the things you can do now, I recommend you branch out to find friends who have similar interests to you because the commonality will create a valuable bond. About the only people who invite me out anymore are guys who want to date me. The best possible set of questions you can ask anyone is "how is your day going", "what are you up to right now", and "what are you planning to do later". It's pretty sad I guess. .css-8h1dth-Link{font-family:ReithSans,Helvetica,Arial,freesans,sans-serif;font-weight:700;-webkit-text-decoration:none;text-decoration:none;color:#FFFFFF;}.css-8h1dth-Link:hover,.css-8h1dth-Link:focus{-webkit-text-decoration:underline;text-decoration:underline;}Read about our approach to external linking. Secondlly, it can be hard to make friends with people who already have a close set of friends. Living in a foreign country - without friends or family - her mental state suffered. We also don't have much of a social life. .css-po6dm6-ItalicText{font-style:italic;}If you are suffering from loneliness or social isolation, you can find support through charities such as the British Red Cross, Mind and Age UK. The loneliness, she explains, "came later". Now I see some women from the village regularly at a play-group. I'm a really fun person when I'm around someone easy going and happy. So sadly my experience of people is not great and I'm not looking for more of that. I have Christmas and all other holidays alone, but at my age I am not as freaked out about not having friends. Your questions about the Green Homes Grant have been answered by the experts from the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy and Energy Saving Trust, Let’s talk kids and gaming! Often that first question can turn into a whole conversation, and the last one is a signal to close the conversation. Would be interested in hearing from others' 'friendship' experiences since been a Mum.I've moved around a lot in my adult years and only kept in touch with one friend from school; for 25 years. They have lots of holidays and nights out. He has had some good friends in elementary school in the past, but was switched in his classes each year so every time he made a friend, he wasn't in the same class with that child the … Just continue to support and encourage him without pressuring him unnecessarily. “I have friends, but I have no close friends” Perhaps you hang out with a group of people regularly in a group, but never with anyone one on one. i dont know. also, if i say anything like this to my mom shell say "well just try to make those casual friends your good friends" but ive tried soooooooooo many times!! If your concerns persist, you might want to consider having him talk to someone outside of the family. But then i just kinda became lazy(so to speak) i started to do nothing just go to school do my homwork and stuff. If your son seems "fine" with his more limited network of friends, make sure you aren't transferring your own needs and/or insecurities onto him. According to new research by the .css-yidnqd-InlineLink:link{color:#3F3F42;}.css-yidnqd-InlineLink:visited{color:#696969;}.css-yidnqd-InlineLink:link,.css-yidnqd-InlineLink:visited{font-weight:bolder;border-bottom:1px solid #BABABA;-webkit-text-decoration:none;text-decoration:none;}.css-yidnqd-InlineLink:link:hover,.css-yidnqd-InlineLink:visited:hover,.css-yidnqd-InlineLink:link:focus,.css-yidnqd-InlineLink:visited:focus{border-bottom-color:currentcolor;border-bottom-width:2px;color:#B80000;}@supports (text-underline-offset:0.25em){.css-yidnqd-InlineLink:link,.css-yidnqd-InlineLink:visited{border-bottom:none;-webkit-text-decoration:underline #BABABA;text-decoration:underline #BABABA;-webkit-text-decoration-thickness:1px;text-decoration-thickness:1px;-webkit-text-decoration-skip-ink:none;text-decoration-skip-ink:none;text-underline-offset:0.25em;}.css-yidnqd-InlineLink:link:hover,.css-yidnqd-InlineLink:visited:hover,.css-yidnqd-InlineLink:link:focus,.css-yidnqd-InlineLink:visited:focus{-webkit-text-decoration-color:currentcolor;text-decoration-color:currentcolor;-webkit-text-decoration-thickness:2px;text-decoration-thickness:2px;color:#B80000;}}British Red Cross, millions of people in the UK are suffering from loneliness and social isolation. I do have a few friends who I see occasionally and that's enough. It found that people who said that they had good relationships had higher levels of wellbeing, while poor relationships were detrimental to health, wellbeing and self-confidence. The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites. Whether it's approaching someone you're attracted to or if it's giving a presentation in class, everyone gets a little nervous at times. Thankyou serial I'm the same , I find social encounters exhausting and often drink too much to numb the awkwardness I feel . I have no trouble getting along with people at work and I'm friendly to clients and people at University. "I liked the people, they were always smiling, even strangers when you passed them in the city centre they would stop and say hello. "It's very depressing, it's lonely. She fitted the narcissist profile. Sound sweet right? I just really want some friends that'll invite me over on the weekends and want to hang out with me and vise versa. Think twice, stop thinking about it. My teenage daughter is losing her friends. I spend my days off alone, studying and drawing and sometimes go a whole day without speaking to anyone. I think it's fine and I am happy. Probably because the ones I have had in the past haven't been that nice/reliable. You know, sometimes I even think that people might feel unworthy or not good enough when they're around me. I just grew older, changed, and tried less to stage-manage friendships. I love to have time stretching out in front of me with no commitments. I also think there is a kind of aura I'm sending out, so that people dont feel comfertable with me? She was worried I'd meet lots of Mummy friends and she would no longer be able to control me (which is what she liked to try and do). They are all really nice, but I'd call them acquaintances as we either only meet at a group, or its more about meeting for a playdate for the children.Is it weird I don't really care? US election 2020: Does this compare to 2000 Florida recount? When she visited me just after my first child was born, she told me that having children would leave me 'isolated and with no friends'. You may not even be aware of exactly how you do it. While you may not have done anything to directly turn people away from you, you need to look at your perspective on this. How can you find out if you're getting equal pay? Im a nice person and easy to go along with. To be honest I don't like having to emotionally invest in others. He's refused to really talk about it and just says "It's fine, Mom!" .css-gw44ni-IconContainer{display:inline-block;height:1em;width:1em;vertical-align:-0.125em;margin-right:0.25em;}playFauci: 'We have got to double down' to fight Covid. It frustrates me when people say "I have no friends" and actually do have a small group of people to hang out with. "I wasn't going to let my daughter have the same problems I did," she explains. This year he doesn't seem to hang with them. I cry out for God to change me but things have … I m nice , kind as far I know. We are still in contact but I've been happier since she became more like an acquaintance.When I had my first child I was very keen to 'make friends'. I'm actually just surprised that I feel quite content and OK with this and wondered what others' experiences are.Thanks for commenting.The long-term friend of 25 years I mentioned was very friends-orientated and judged people by how many friendships they had. Ruth Sutherland, the chief executive of Relate, said the survey revealed a divided nation with many people left without the vital support of friends or partners. This is a community to share strategies and learn from others! These social decisions are very hard to deal with when you feel you haven't done anything to deserve that kind of treatment. The more you converse the less alien they will be. but if you really want friends i suppose you have to put the work in, people arent gonna comme knocking at you door, altho i would be careful not to set yourself up for a fall, try not to read too much into 'friendships' take it for what it is, people can have a habit of using other people and letting you down. I need plenty of downtime to recharge from social encounters. It relies on a big group of people functioning together which doesn't always work. It's ok. I don't feel that bothered either it is less stressful!! You are like the dream girl I can't find LOL. These are qualities which prove themselves in the relationship throughout time. Remember that you are your harshest critic and the biggest obstacle in your quest to make friends. A friend told me, she doesn't want to go out with me cos I don drink. then like after a week of that crap every god damm dude asked me to go to places with them. Simona Vararniute, 27, moved to Belfast from Lithuania aged 20, and for the first six months, she was happy. I'm new to this sub so apologies if this has been discussed already. It's something a lot of people look for in a friend. President Trump is yet to concede the election, along with many others in the Republican party. "I think it comes naturally to some people but others have to work quite hard to get there, and I was definitely in the latter category.".