How many friends do you have?

[FatherChristmad]

Just watching something trivial on iPlayer and one character asked another how many friends did they have.

Got me thinking, I don't think I have any. I've got colleagues and passing acquaintances but not friends, no one outside of family I could count on

Even if I look at my many friends on Facebook, none of them are real actual friends. They are family, past and present work colleagues, a few old school friends who I wasn't that close to, the odd neighbour, spouses of the above and the rest are people I've met online over many years some of which I've met in real life but most I've never will.

I'm not hugely social so I suppose it's not a real shock. Is this abnormal?

Very close friends - 3. I can count on them for anything.

Good friends - 5

There are people outside that I'm friendly with.

My friends are a mix of primary school friends, our parents were friends, friends I met at work over the years and just clicked with so we got friendly and have stayed in touch.

Everyone's different so I'd say there are others in your situation. It's not abnormal.

Women I can think of that are friendless are ones who've just focused on their man/relationship, or have ditched friends whenever they find a man, or it's all about "me and my little family" then the DCs grow up and that's it. So, female friendships die out.

I'm not suggesting you are this way, just a thought re a couple of people I know of.

There can be a myriad of reasons.

I have none.
There are people I talk to occasionally on social media, but no actual friends that I could meet up with or phone.

Best friends - none
Close friends - 3
Good friends - 5
Friends - 100+

Yep, I moved a few years ago with the intention of settling into a community but still don't really know anyone I could call and hang out with. I don't work in a job or have kids, so very difficult. My husband isn't "a joiner" as his dad puts it plus we get on dead well and we're fairly busy doing not a lot, so I think I've forgotten, if I ever knew how to have actual friends. I was always the slightly weird kid, nothing has changed....

Same as pp above. Plenty of ‘online’ pals to chat with, not a single one I could call or meet up with (in normal times) in reality.

None. I used to think DH was my best friend, but, apparently, we are 'fundamentally incompatible' so I guess not.
I say I have friends at work, but, even before covid, I never saw any of them outside of work, so, while I get on with them very well, I am not sure they count as friends.
I am very anti-social and introverted, but sometimes I wish I had friends.

Very Good friends from school and College 3 and 3 from more recent years work and neighbour. Love them all but sadly only get to meet my 3 oldest friends a few times a year (in normal years)
I would count my DH as a friend and also other work colleagues although those I would go for a drink with but not call on for help say.

Best friend - 1, but we live 80 miles away from each other so usually (pre covid and lockdowns) see each other maybe 2-3 times a year, which includes a weekend away with husbands.

Good friends - 2, but again 80 miles away

Friends where I live now, and have lived for 16yrs - none.

I work but don’t socialise with my work colleagues. We get on well and have a natter etc, but just don’t seem to have developed a friendship.

When we moved here the kids went to school by bus so didn’t get to stand at the school gate and meet other mums.

I have no one local who I would ask to go to the cinema with for example.

Luckily me and husband get on very well and he is my best friend.

I don't have a best friend which makes me sad. But I have about 5 good friends.

hey there i am a single mum of a kid of 13 - i have no friends
lockdown has been hard with no one to call and no one calling me

i think because i am uneployed i dissconnected with the world, scotland where i live is in full lockdown and i feel very isolated - but i have intrests such as yoga and home baking - i just feel a bit down like a sado really with no pals and it gets tough some day xx hope everyone is ok

My best friend is from school.
I have maybe 3 close friends.
I have 3 sisters who are also friends.
I have several friends that I have met through DH.
I have mum friends
I have gym friends

My best friend and my sisters have my back 100%

I have 9 friends that i’m very close to, would meet up with them for a coffee, confide in them, chat on the phone etc and it wouldn’t be awkward. My oldest friend i’ve known for 32 years (friends from two years old!) most of the others are all from nursery/school that i’ve been friends with right through. Some are from various jobs and we’ve clicked, been to each others weddings etc. We talk on various WhatsApp groups most days which keeps us all in the loop.

I have lots of work colleagues that I have a good laugh with and some real deep conversations with on nightshift etc but I wouldn’t meet them outside work and wouldn’t consider them friends.

Lots but I'm born and bred a Londoner with all my friends remaining in the same area for many years. Most of my friends I've known 40+ years.

@leeobee
That sounds tough, hope things start to improve for you soon.

Very close 5. 3 from high school been friends 21 years and 2 more recent but speak to daily.

Good friends 3

I think I'm very lucky, I've got a very supportive network

@ParkheadParadise ty , it is tough

does anyone else feel isolated sorry to be depressing lol im atually a really nice genuine person but i find it hard some days

@leeobee
I think everyone has felt like that at some point in the last year.

@ParkheadParadise x ty

My best friend is probably DSis, we do loads together.

Then I have 4 close friends

5 or 6 less close friends

Lots of acquaintances I'll have a drink with.

250+ FB friends, which don't count.

Best friends 3
Good friends 3

I have 2 friends of 30+ years I could phone up and not feel it was awkward, though I very rarely do.

Most of my non-family social contact over the last twenty years was with work colleagues, and it's been really hard since March when it's not been possible to natter over a coffee at coffee time. I find it hard to sustain friendships (for some reason I tend to avoid making them) and the type of contact I had with work colleagues in the past was about the right amount for me, I didn't need lots of friends. I do feel very isolated now though, I don't have groups of friends to Zoom with etc.

I have 3 best friends, people I would holiday with for example.

I have 9 close friends, people I can count on to be there if needed and them on me.

I have about 20 friends I would have a coffee or drink or whatever with.

My close/best friends are all good friends with each other and it's amazing. I realise I'm very lucky in that respect.

@PMcGintysGoat

sorry to hear you feel isolated - im quite rubbish at social situatuons too,

and not really into a lot of the same stuff as others - im like you not into zoom or social media and quick coffes and natters where my lifeline x

i miss working but cant right now so thats a bummer on the brightside ive got out of my slump today and decided to change some things make more of an efort x

@leeobee Me too. I'm also a single parent of a 13 yr old, and was very badly affected by the isolation of going through lockdown with no one contacting me. I do work, so had contact with colleagues, but work provided added pressures and I had no one to turn to for emotional support. I think one of the hardest things was when they said single adult households could start to form bubbles, and I had no one to bubble with

@theliverpoolone

its crappy sometimes , i hope maybe by joining this you get an outlet for that , thats what im hoping , i get you 100 percent and it must be tough balancing work and home and kids , same about the bubble - i have no family either except for my mum and daughter so kinda felt really down today - but on a positive note made a change joined this and there are others out there - you think its just you and it makes me feel bad but keep going x