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AIBU?

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Original poster

To be surprised by the amount of people on here who have no family and no friends to rely on

430 replies

fossilgap · 23/09/2024 14:10

It always strikes me as odd that a couple only have each other and nobody else to call on , and this has been the same for years on here, it’s not a new thing.
Of course with the family, this could be by choice, but surely everybody has a mate or two left unless you live in total isolation

OP posts:
WasThatACorner · 23/09/2024 14:24

I don't think that people mean they live in complete isolation, more that the people they know are not in a position to provide practical support such as childcare.

At least that's what I mean when I say it. In an absolute emergency or as a one off yes, people could probably help out but not more generally.

HTH

Pigeonqueen · 23/09/2024 14:24

Well we’re one of those couples. Dh is no contact with his whole family (abuse related). My only living relative, my Mum died years ago. Dh and I have no real friends, dh has work mates but wouldn’t be able to call them in a crisis. I don’t have any friends, I’ve got complex health needs and I’m very introverted and don’t really have the energy or want for any. So there we go! We just muddle through and it’s fine. I have no desire to have more people in our circle.

SunnyHedgehog · 23/09/2024 14:23

Tbh I don't really. I have colleagues and old uni friends who live in other cities and might see me once every couple of years, I don't really know how it happened over the years but it is what it is- how do you make friends in your late 30s? (sometimes I wonder this!) I'm close to my family and we talk every day on Whatsapp, but they're very busy in their own lives with young children.
My DH had a group of very close 'lad' friends when we were young, but he's distanced himself from them over the years when he stopped drinking/partying as much. Now he has a beer with some of them every couple of weeks or so.
Basically, we have people who would notice if we went missing, but not much of a babysitting circle.

HFJ · 23/09/2024 14:22

Statistically speaking, they’re probably more likely to seek out an online forum.

BigDahliaFan · 23/09/2024 14:21

I'm surprised by that too. I know there's reasons. I live far away from my family but I've built up a (small) network of people outside of DH and his family who I like to think if they hadn't heard from me in a week would at least text to see if I'd been eaten by the cat.