I Have No Friends: Here's What to Do

Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsReasons You Might Have No FriendsBenefits of FriendshipWhat to DoWhere to Meet New PeopleMaintaining Friendships

Table of ContentsView All

View All

Table of Contents

Reasons You Might Have No Friends

Benefits of Friendship

What to Do

Where to Meet New People

Maintaining Friendships

Close

You might have noticed that, as a kid, you found it easy to make friends. But, as you’ve reached adulthood, your friends list may have dwindled a bit (or a lot). So, not only might you have fewer friends, but maybe you even have difficultymaking new friends at this stagein your life. You might even find yourself feeling like you have no friends at all.

This is a familiar feeling among adults. What happened? Why can’t adults seem to find people with whom they connect?

People want to be liked, and people want (and need) friends. Plus, it feels good to like other people. But sometimes, life gets in the way, and many find themselves unable to make any new friends or keep the friendships that are already there.

So, if you feel like you have no friends, what can you do? This article describes why you might not have many friends right now, the benefits of having a social life,ways to make new friends, and how to keep them once you’ve established a friendship.

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Reasons Why You Might Not Have Friends

There are myriad reasonswhy you might not have many (or any) friends. Of course, these reasons are unique to each individual.

Is it normal to have no friends?Reports suggest that many adults report having few friends or none at all. Among millennial-aged adults, 27% report that they have no close friends.Societal trends appear to be playing a part, but there are individual factors that may also contribute to the lack of friendships.

Is it normal to have no friends?

Reports suggest that many adults report having few friends or none at all. Among millennial-aged adults, 27% report that they have no close friends.Societal trends appear to be playing a part, but there are individual factors that may also contribute to the lack of friendships.

If you’re wondering why you have no close friends (or no friends at all), there are a number of explanations that might apply to your situation. Let’s take a look at some of the common reasons why you might not have any friends:

People who don’t have friends might be referred to as shy, reticent, unsociable, or loners. In reality, there might be many reasons why people lack friends. Some may want more friends, while others are satisfied with few social connections.

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The Benefits of Having a Good Social Life

Friends can be a source of emotional support when needed. A good friend is there for the good times, but they’re with you through difficult situations or challenging life events. Below are some other benefits of having friends.

6 Benefits of Friendship and Why It’s So Important to Stay Close

What to Do If You Have No Friends

There are many you can seek out and cultivate new friendships. Below is a list of tips you can use to help make friends.

Of course, you don’t need to use all of these suggestions, so try using the tips that feel most authentic to you and see where it takes you!

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If you are unsure where to meet new people, then here are some ideas:

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How to Keep the Friendships You Make

After you’ve made new friends, you’re most likely wondering how you can keep these friendships. Here are some ways to keep your friendships strong:

How and Why You Should Maintain Friendships

A Word From Verywell

You don’t need to be asocial butterfly; sometimes, you may just need one or two good friends. One of the most important things we can do for our mental health is accepting ourselves and finding ways to feel more connected with others. Whatever route feels right for you, make sure you’re prioritizing some form of connection with other people.

14 Sure-fire Ways to Find and Make Friends as an Adult

5 SourcesVerywell Mind uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Cox DA.The state of American friendship: Change, challenges, and loss. Survey Center on American Life.Tan CS, Low SK, Viapude GN.Extraversion and happiness: The mediating role of social support and hope.Psych J. 2018;7(3):133-143. doi:10.1002/pchj.220Glick GC, Rose AJ.Prospective associations between friendship adjustment and social strategies: friendship as a context for building social skills.Dev Psychol. 2011;47(4):1117-1132. doi:10.1037/a0023277Taylor HO, Taylor RJ, Nguyen AW, Chatters L.Social Isolation, Depression, and Psychological Distress Among Older Adults.J Aging Health. 2018;30(2):229-246. doi:10.1177/0898264316673511McMillan C.Tied Together: Adolescent Friendship Networks, Immigrant Status, and Health Outcomes.Demography. 2019;56(3):1075-1103. doi:10.1007/s13524-019-00770-w

5 Sources

Verywell Mind uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Cox DA.The state of American friendship: Change, challenges, and loss. Survey Center on American Life.Tan CS, Low SK, Viapude GN.Extraversion and happiness: The mediating role of social support and hope.Psych J. 2018;7(3):133-143. doi:10.1002/pchj.220Glick GC, Rose AJ.Prospective associations between friendship adjustment and social strategies: friendship as a context for building social skills.Dev Psychol. 2011;47(4):1117-1132. doi:10.1037/a0023277Taylor HO, Taylor RJ, Nguyen AW, Chatters L.Social Isolation, Depression, and Psychological Distress Among Older Adults.J Aging Health. 2018;30(2):229-246. doi:10.1177/0898264316673511McMillan C.Tied Together: Adolescent Friendship Networks, Immigrant Status, and Health Outcomes.Demography. 2019;56(3):1075-1103. doi:10.1007/s13524-019-00770-w

Verywell Mind uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.

Cox DA.The state of American friendship: Change, challenges, and loss. Survey Center on American Life.Tan CS, Low SK, Viapude GN.Extraversion and happiness: The mediating role of social support and hope.Psych J. 2018;7(3):133-143. doi:10.1002/pchj.220Glick GC, Rose AJ.Prospective associations between friendship adjustment and social strategies: friendship as a context for building social skills.Dev Psychol. 2011;47(4):1117-1132. doi:10.1037/a0023277Taylor HO, Taylor RJ, Nguyen AW, Chatters L.Social Isolation, Depression, and Psychological Distress Among Older Adults.J Aging Health. 2018;30(2):229-246. doi:10.1177/0898264316673511McMillan C.Tied Together: Adolescent Friendship Networks, Immigrant Status, and Health Outcomes.Demography. 2019;56(3):1075-1103. doi:10.1007/s13524-019-00770-w

Cox DA.The state of American friendship: Change, challenges, and loss. Survey Center on American Life.

Tan CS, Low SK, Viapude GN.Extraversion and happiness: The mediating role of social support and hope.Psych J. 2018;7(3):133-143. doi:10.1002/pchj.220

Glick GC, Rose AJ.Prospective associations between friendship adjustment and social strategies: friendship as a context for building social skills.Dev Psychol. 2011;47(4):1117-1132. doi:10.1037/a0023277

Taylor HO, Taylor RJ, Nguyen AW, Chatters L.Social Isolation, Depression, and Psychological Distress Among Older Adults.J Aging Health. 2018;30(2):229-246. doi:10.1177/0898264316673511

McMillan C.Tied Together: Adolescent Friendship Networks, Immigrant Status, and Health Outcomes.Demography. 2019;56(3):1075-1103. doi:10.1007/s13524-019-00770-w

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