Is it really so easy to make friends?

[Freudianslap]

I am feeling quite isolated at the moment for various reasons and have been trying for quite some time to extend my social circle a little. However I have found it really difficult and have found other people's reaction to my quest a bit disheartening.

People keep suggesting that I am not trying hard enough and that in fact it is really easy to make friends. I've been told to join groups, accept all invitations and be more 'open' to meeting others. But is it really that easy? I have done sme night classes and, although the people were nice, there was no suggestion that anyone there wanted to do more than just attend the class. I have registered on 'meet a mum' type sites but things never seem to get beyond a couple of emails. I started antenatal classes recently and, again, the people were lovely but seem to just want to be there for the information only.

I just don't get it.... Maybe I am dong something wrong but I can't seem to find this 'easy friend making' route that everyone tells me is possible and to be honest it's really getting me down. I think I am a nice person but just don't seem to get this friend thing....

Any thoughts anyone?

Although I don't like to think people are feeling the same as me it's kind of nice to know I'm not te only one with this puzzle.

Part of the issue is that I too have become a bit wary over time due to problems with friends before. When I meet people I tend to get on ok with them but it's the meeting them part that is the biggest problem!

I suppose the obvious question would be - are any of you from anywhere in the west midlands?

I'm in the West Midlands actually Freudian! South Birmingham to be precise.

But not for much longer . As I said above I'm moving down South over the school holidays. But hey, if you want to chat online anyway, here I am.

Freudian, I'm in the West Mids! Not been here very long and looking for friends

I read so many similar threads on MN that I briefly considered setting up a sort of platonic 'dating agency' for people to make friends.

I just want to give another perspective, because it seems that the OP and others who wish they had more (or any) friends often end up wondering whether there's something wrong with them. It isn't you, I don't think, it's them; it's just that many people don't have the time or the energy for any more friends and the effort it makes to build and maintain a friendship.

Personally it takes a lot for me to consider someone a friend, and there sre very few people that I want to see on a very regular basis. I don't really like socialising in groups, especially groups of women (too many undercurrents, unspoken rules etc), I prefer one-to-one or couples. I met one very nice lady a while ago who I'd chatted to lots of times and she wanted to come out on a walk with me (both interested in photography and funghi). We did that and it was fine, but she was hoping to come out every week with friend and me who walk the dogs together once a week. She was also dropping hints that she'd like to go out for lunch or a drink in the evening, and saying that she's fed up that none of her friends want to go out much. I made sympathetic noises but the fact is I very rarely ever go out for lunch (can't afford it, can't take dog and kid) or in the evening (bit of a homebody in evening, ditto money) so I sort of avoided the issue. I let the walks lapse too because I really value that time with my friend snd look forward to it, and having a third person along just changes that dynamic. I'm saying this not to illustrate how horrible I am (I'm not, honest! ), but to make the point that it's nothing to do with this lady - she's very nice - that I didn't continue and cultivate that possible friendship, it's because what she wanted wasn't a good 'fit' with what I was able to give, if that makes any sense.

So I'm just trying to say that someone not being open to overtures of friendship is probably that way for entirely their own reasons - nothing to do with you at all. If you start doubting yourself and feeling self-conscious and desperate, then you might appear a bit over-eager and sort of scare someone off, if that makes sense. I'm really not trying to hurt or offend anyone and I know that it's easier said than done to appear dead casual when you don't feel it. But if you try and drum into your head 'it's not me, it's them!' and just keep being open to people and interested in them, I'm sure you'll click with people as you go along.

Hope this doesn't sound patronising if I'm covering something you've thought about already, but do you wait to be invited or do you ask others if they'd like to join you? A lot of people don't invite because they don't think the other person is interested. It becomes a case of both people seeming ever so nice and open but never moving beyond that because they're each assuming that if the other was that interested they'd have extended an invitation.

All I can offer is sympathy I am afraid! I went to an antenatal group with my partner and they all seemed to chat to each other and we were ignored - it felt horrible. The girls all meet up and never invite me. My village mums group is very cliquey - they don't talk to me much and seem to invite each other round but never me. I'm shy but smiley and friendly but I'm convinced there must be something wrong with me. I never felt like this in the days when I worked - there seemed an easy comradery there and I felt accepted but obviously I've lost that now and my closest friends have all moved away and I've not been able to replace them. Loneliness is hard especially when you feel it must somehow be your fault.

make me reflect on previous friendship choices I've made

Can you share your reflections on here? Have you thought of any qualities you like or don't like in a friend?

What type of activity or interests would you like to have in common with friends?

These might give you clues as to where to look for them.

The crucial thing, OP, is shared interests. Can you find a group to attend? It could be absolutely anything. I met some amazing people doing a course on learning to teach English as a second language, an Ancient Greek course and a wine-tasting course.

Also, I agree with the poster who said just be brazen and start inviting people over for a cuppa. Ask questions, chat a lot, give out your number to people and suggest outings. I had to steel myself to do this as have emigrated a couple of times in my life and had to begin afresh, far from my oldest friends. It's been successful surprisingly often. After you've made some friendly acquaintances, if you can organise a little soiree and stretch to a few bottles of wine and some nibbles, you're laughing.

Another idea- choose a country or a language you are interested in, and find a forum for learners of that language. It doesn't matter if you don't actually speak any (yet!). There will always be people keen to practise their English, exchange e-mails / letters and so on... before you know it, you've shared lots of stuff about your lives, dreams, interests and you are friends, making phone calls, maybe planning a meeting! And people who grew up in a different culture and perhaps generation are ENDLESSLY interesting, with their different experiences, opinions and general outlook.

Don't worry about antenatal groups. I met one really nice woman through one, but we lost touch after a natural disaster forced relocation, sadly. In general, though, the people there didn't really have anything in common except that we were all dreading giving birth.

crabby I also considered starting a plutonic friend website but couldnt work out how to stop it becoming a dating site!

As for other comments - I d tend to go if invited to things but the invites are few and far between because I only really spend time with work colleagues at the moment and our jobs don't leave much time for socialising. I have tried various courses and classes - I'm interested in art and creative things but the people there have always tended to be a good 20yrs older than me (not necessarily a problem but would like to meet people of my own age too) and have only really been interested in the class.
I have loads of other interests but sadly I live in a bit of a backwater town with not much going on in the way of interest groups and activities.

I have also met a few people via another online forum but this has never really developed into anything.

fraxinus - on reflection, I have tended to be mainly friends with males even since early childhood, this is fine but I have noticed that as I have got older male friends meet partners and then friendships get complicated (maybe I've just been unlucky in having friends with very possessive OH's). I suppose this means that because I have spent more time with males I have neglected friendships with females up until quite recently - its sad because it means I don't have those girlfriends from school / uni that lots of others seem to have.

Oh OP I do feel for you. I do get involved in groups and hobbies and I still find it hard to find what I would call friends. Acquaintances are easy.
It was easier when I was younger, somehow! Then I moved.

I am feeling very down today for lots of reasons and I haven't a single person around me, dh included, who I feel I can talk to, have a really good moan, get it off my chest, get told nicely to buck up my ideas, and maybe join in with the moan then have a couple of glasses of wine and a laugh. My best friend lives a continent away.

I have to constantly rein it in and remind myself that I am interesting and witty and worth a hug only in my own head clearly as even when I'm feeling chirpy and enthused and all's right with the world, it's hard to connect with people.

Recently I wondered if all women over 40 feel this as they get older: is this just me being middle-aged and therefore invisible, even to people who are also middle-aged?

I have tended to be mainly friends with males even since early childhood, this is fine but I have noticed that as I have got older male friends meet partners

Oh yes! Actually, I don't think it's so much that they have possessive partners, just that they do more coupley stuff, and now most of them are doing parenty stuff (plus no longer local to me.) I'm pretty sure none of their wives would need to worry - last time I pulled up a colleague on some comment he made about "All women..." he said, "Oh, you don't count, you're one of us." Great, so I'm not even seen as a woman any more...

I find I just witter away on messageboards in the absence of anyone else to talk to.

Freudian Im almost in the West Midlands (border of N Staffs/S Chesh) if youre looking for an 'old' (ancient) mate.
Treagues I feel for you being an old gimmer middle aged myself. DP works night shifts and kids are now teens and have their own lives. I feel invisible too sometimes wine helps
Sorry youre feeling down.

treageus I know how you feel, have been that way myself sometimes with regards to the feeling down bit. Maybe we are just not meeting up with the right people? We both sound fairly normal after all!!

And Ebearhug - feel free to whitter away to me! I have also been told i am like one of the lads, it's a very odd sort of compliment maybe? And I'm certainly no threat to anyone's partner as I am very happily married, it's sad though when good friendships have to change over something so silly...

Maybe we need to form our own little group!

I have also been told i am like one of the lads, it's a very odd sort of compliment maybe?

Well, it is in that they see I fit in, I guess.