At any age there are going to be people in your area who are open to forming new friendships. Not everyone has had the same social circle for years and years and isn't interested in meeting anyone else. If you go on sites like Meetup.com you'll see people have created groups catering to all ages.
As we get older, life changes can affect existing friendships, and adulthood can make forging new ones harder than it was in adolescence. But it is possible to make new friends in adulthood with a few simple steps.
"Making friends in your 20s can be challenging," says licensed marriage and family therapist Laurel Roberts-Meese. "The structures and systems we made friends through before don't exist anymore. Sure, we have the workplace, but workplaces aren't structured to assist your psychosocial development."
But just because it's difficult to make friends after 30 doesn't mean it's impossible. While one 2020 study found that more than 3 in 5 Americans consider themselves lonely, citing a lack of social support and meaningful interactions as the main cause, it certainly doesn't have to be that way.
A 2016 study by Aalto University and the University of Oxford found social circles shrink significantly after age 25; people stop making new friends and start becoming distanced from the ones they have. Specifically, the study showed around age 25, the average person contacts between 17.5 and 19 people per month.
When researchers interviewed adults about making friends in a recent study, the most important challenge cited was a lack of trust. That is, people found it harder to put their trust in someone new and fully invest in them as a friend compared to when they were younger.
According to “The Friendship Report,” a global study commissioned by Snapchat in 2019, the average age at which we meet our best friends is 21—a stage when we're not only bonding over formative new experiences such as first love and first heartbreak, but also growing more discerning about whom we befriend.
You are not alone. About 23% of men and women ages 30-49 are reportedly single. Embracing the single life can feel like a rollercoaster.
People need at least a little human contact in order to thrive, and true isolation can take a toll on your overall well-being. If you're not totally isolated, though, and your lack of friends doesn't trouble you, it can be perfectly fine to be satisfied with your own company.
Causes of loneliness include life changes that lead to social isolation, like moving to a new place, grieving a death, or the end of a relationship. In some cases, loneliness is linked with mental health conditions like depression.
Seeking out people with similar interests in hobbies, activities, or schools of thought can be key to creating lasting bonds. Introverted people often feel most drawn to activities usually done alone, including: reading. journaling.
In fact, young adults are three times likelier to feel lonely than older age groups, says a study from the Office for National Statistics. From experience, I found that it hit me hardest in my early 20s.
That's normal! As we've spoken about time and time again here at GenTwenty, your twenties are a time for growing and changing, and sometimes people can grow apart, whether that's because of something happening or just happening naturally.
The reason you have no friends may be because you are shy, uncomfortable interacting with others, or simply don't go places that would lead to meeting new people. You don't have friends may have a lot to do with your mindset.
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. What's more, what you need from your friends might change as your life circumstances change.
Sometimes having no social life is a choice. You may be one of those people who simply likes to be alone. However, sometimes isolation is caused by anxiety. If you feel you're experiencing symptoms of social anxiety disorder, there may be underlying conditions that should be evaluated.
It's better to BE HAPPY that you are single at 25. This is the time to travel, do things that interest you. This is the time to enjoy dating for fun. Once you are committed to someone half of your time and the things you like will be replaced by half of the things your other half likes.
A new Pew Research Center analysis found that about 38% of American adults ages 25-34 are single.
“Being 28 and single is not a bad thing. Society, friends, culture, all ask the question, “When are you going to get married?” Don't rush to make a lifelong commitment that will change your life forever.
Age was mentioned in the study too, with 21 being the average age people meet their besties. And, most important sought-after qualities in a BFF?
"As we become adults, we have less and less environments where those ingredients are at play." Adults with jobs, kids, and a collection of other responsibilities also simply have less time available for making friends.