The bottom line. At the end of the day, it doesn't really matter how many friends you have. If you don't feel the need to make more friends, trust your instincts without letting the opinions of others sway you. That said, loneliness can contribute to mental health symptoms, including anxiety and depression.
Despite the high volume of #squadgoals grams posted by acquaintances you don't actually go out with, it's actually perfectly normal to have just a few close friends. So whether you've grown apart from your high school or college friend group, or never had one to begin with, here's why—and why it's OK!
When someone doesn't have friends it's almost never because their core personality is unlikable. It's usually due to a mix of interfering factors such as: They're not knowledgeable about the skills for making friends. They're too shy, socially anxious, insecure, or unconfident to pursue friendships.
Being socially isolated is terribly unhealthy. Studies since the 1980s have shown that if you haven't got friends, family or community ties, your chance of dying early may be 50% higher than if you did. Social isolation is now being touted as similarly detrimental to health as smoking or not taking exercise.
There's no “right” number of friends you should have, but research says most people have between 3 and 5 close friends. Friendship is necessary, but it can feel challenging to find people who really “get” you.
However, introverts don't need a wide circle of friends. They prefer one or two close friends, even though they may know many people and have many acquaintances. Despite this preference, introverts are often criticized for not attempting to make more friends, and are often viewed as lacking social skills.
Jessica Harrison, a licensed professional counselor and owner of Courageous Counseling and Consulting, says a lack of long-term friendships is a major red flag. "It shows that they have not been committed to growing in relationships, which takes time and effort on both friends' part," says Harrison.
In general, having no friends is relatively normal. A February 2021 report found that 36% of Americans felt serious loneliness and a 2019 report showed that 1 in 5 people had no friends. If you have no friends, you are not alone. However, having no friends can lead to loneliness for some people.
Some people view loners in a negative context. However, some studies show that being a loner can lead to happiness for the individual and could actually be good for your health. Some people in this study experienced greater life satisfaction with less frequent interaction with their friends.
(frɛndlɪs ) adjective. Someone who is friendless has no friends. The boy was unhappy because he thought he was friendless. Synonyms: alone, abandoned, deserted, isolated More Synonyms of friendless.
Article content. In your 30s and 40s, a small, tight-knit group is optimal. Having three to five close friends allows for paired activities (tandem biking, charades), as well as intimate group outings (movie nights, wine tastings, group discount rates).
You're Selfish. Consider whether or not being selfish contributes to the fact that you don't have friends. Friendship requires you to give sometimes, even when you don't feel like it. If you're only willing to do what you want, when you want it, it's unlikely that your friends will tolerate it for very long.
Out of dozens of connections, the number of close friendships people have, Dunbar found, is five. Similarly, a 2020 study found that having three to five close friends is enough to feel fulfilled.
"Lacking encouragement from family or friends, those who are lonely may slide into unhealthy habits," Valtorta says. "In addition, loneliness has been found to raise levels of stress, impede sleep and, in turn, harm the body. Loneliness can also augment depression or anxiety."
Some research suggests that loneliness is associated with an increased risk of certain mental health problems, including depression, anxiety, low self-esteem, sleep problems and increased stress.
The older we get, the fewer friends we have. According to a recent study by experts from Aalto University in Finland and the University of Oxford in England, our social network shrinks after we reach our mid-20s.
It's okay to be less-social than other people
Others have a lower drive to socialize, which can show in a variety of ways: They like to spend a lot of time alone. They're solitary by choice, not because they want to be around people more often, but can't. They have solo hobbies they enjoy more than being with people.
In Australia alone, residents of New South Wales have an average of three best friends, falling slightly below the global average of four.
More troubling is perhaps the change at the other end of the scale, where the share of people saying they have no close friends at all went from just 3 percent in 1990, to 12 percent in 2021.
While introverts make up an estimated 25% to 40% of the population, there are still many misconceptions about this personality type. It is also important to note that being an introvert does not mean that you are socially anxious or shy.
True introverts are rare.
“The vast majority of the population is neither an introvert or extrovert. They are ambiverts,” said Smith. Ambiverts display characteristics of both introversion and extraversion and Smith suspects that most people fall into this category.
You might feel physically tired, stressed, angry, or irritable. Social exhaustion can feel like hitting a wall. You may feel as if you don't have the energy to get out of bed, let alone be in a room with other people.