“Friendless” denotes simply having no friends. Its connotation is negative, however—sad, unfortunate, perhaps deservedly. A “loner” is someone who prefers to avoid people and to be alone. A “pariah” is someone who has been rejected by a whole group or community.
Colloquially, the terms 'asocial' and 'antisocial' get used interchangeably, to describe someone who isn't motivated by social interaction.
It is a natural emotion that's practically inevitable at some point throughout your life. So if you find yourself feeling lonely, even if you feel like you don't need friends, there are ways that you can cope with such difficult emotions.
Introversion is simply one part of your personality, not a flaw you need to address or anything to feel bad about. Introverted people often have few friends simply because they thrive best without constant companionship.
friendlessness (uncountable) The state or condition of being friendless; lack of friends.
People who are uncomfortable with others or prefer to be alone may have a hard time maintaining friendships. Personality issues such as being pushy, too talkative, or controlling can be off-putting to others. Talking to an objective third party such as a therapist can help reveal issues that interfere with friendships.
A very common reason for this difficulty is that many people experience some degree of anxiety when meeting new people. This anxiety stems from a fear of being rejected or judged by others.
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.
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.
Just like how someone who experiences sexual but not romantic attraction can be called allosexual and aromantic, someone who experiences romantic but not platonic attraction can be called alloromantic and aplatonic.
You're not what a person or group is looking for in a friend
We naturally get along better with some types of people, while others don't really do it for us. It could be that you don't have the traits someone is looking for in a buddy. It could also be that you have a bit of a trait they want, but not enough of it.
Anxiety is the number one reason why people hate socializing. It can create an unbearable experience. So the natural thing to do is to avoid situations that make us feel overwhelmed. *But, it's very normal to feel nervous in social situations.
When people feel so self-conscious and anxious that it prevents them from speaking up or socializing most of the time, it's probably more than shyness. It may be an anxiety condition called social phobia (also called social anxiety).
Asociality refers to the lack of motivation to engage in social interaction, or a preference for solitary activities. Asociality may be associated with avolition, but it can, moreover, be a manifestation of limited opportunities for social relations.
Antisocial personality disorder, sometimes called sociopathy, is a mental disorder in which a person consistently shows no regard for right and wrong and ignores the rights and feelings of others.
A loner is a person who does not seek out, or may actively avoid, interaction with other people. There are many potential reasons for their solitude. Intentional reasons include introversion, mysticism, spirituality, religion, or personal considerations. Unintentional reasons involve being highly sensitive or shy.
Not wanting to be around others can be connected to:
depression (I am such a horrible person it's better I leave others alone) anxiety (other people stress me out so much I have to hide) intimacy issues (I don't want anyone to see the real me) low self-esteem (nobody really likes me anyway)
In general, based on 2021 survey data, the average person in America has between 3 and 5 close friends. According to this survey: almost half (49%) report having 3 or fewer close friends. over one-third (36%) report having between 4 and 9 close friends.
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.
A real friend is someone that you can rely on. You know that they will keep their plans with you. You know that you can rely on them to show up for you when you need it. Real friends are people that have proven they will show up for you in the past and will continue to do so because you are a priority to them.
Studies have shown that, when people reach their 30's, they start to value quality friendships over quantity. Once their social circles dwindle, people settle for fewer friendships. As an outsider to those social circles, you may find it more intimidating to “break in” to an already established social circle.
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.