How Many Friends would you say you have?

Pthree

1 and I am unsure of her at times

millysg1

Id say I have 8 very close friends.

stir_crazy

2 very close friends, my best friends I suppose. Then another 9 or 10 friends that I see regularly.

purpleshoes_2

Orlando_Virgin wrote: »

It depends on your definition of a friend? I think it's extremely sad that so many people in the thread have already said none! Surely that must be extremely hard?

I have 2 friends who I treat like brothers, I would be there for them in any situation at any time, and likewise they would do the same. But I have tons of other friends, my football team mates, work mates, old school mates etc. Would I trust them or rely on them in my time of need? No. I don't need to because I have my 2 "brothers" and my family for that. But that doesn't mean I can't be friends with them.

I still enjoy their company a bloody lot when we're out together enjoying ourselves and socialising. They have qualities I enjoy and some I don't, and I'm sure they say the same about me. Life would be pretty boring for me if I just spent time with the same two people all the time.

I think people are are too demanding of each other these days and set standards for "how their friends should be". You just have to be selective about who you trust, that doesn't mean you can't enjoy people who aren't in your inner circle's company.

I don't have an inner circle. When I was at school I had a group of around 6 friends, close ones. We kept in touch for a while, but one girl had a very controlling bf who she later married so that put an end to that friendship, other people just drifted.

Ive met friends since, I had one close friend in my late 20s and another in my mid 30s and sometimes you meet people who you think will always be in your life, but that doesn't happen.

I know lots of people, I have loads of people I could go out for a drink with or do other social activities with, but I wouldn't call them friends, I dont think they would be there for me in a crisis.

I have one person who Im very close to but he's at the other end of the country, Id call him a friend, everyone else in my life I socialise with, it's much more casual. It's good to have them, but I still wouldn't call them friends.

I got rid of a few so called friends about a year ago, because they didn't treat me well. Id rather have a lot of people I could see now and then than people who claimed to be my friends and their actions were different.

I think for men, it can be easier to make friends, certainly my brother has football mates, work mates, hes made a lot of new friends in the last 10 years or so (Im self employed so I don't have workmates, just me), but that's obviously a bit of a generalisation as well, just that when he goes to play football and watch football he has a crowd of people he goes with and he got to know them by supporting a certain football team.

Orlando_Virgin

purpleshoes wrote: »

I think for men, it can be easier to make friends, certainly my brother has football mates, work mates, hes made a lot of new friends in the last 10 years or so (Im self employed so I don't have workmates, just me), but that's obviously a bit of a generalisation as well, just that when he goes to play football and watch football he has a crowd of people he goes with and he got to know them by supporting a certain football team.

I think you're right here to be honest. I just treat people as they come, I can talk to any other football loving male and enjoy myself and have a laugh and see them every week, that's all I see them as, I don't really categorise from there. But lads will just talk to other lads as long as they have something in common.

When I see women in groups, 9 times out of 10 they are with the same "group". I will just go and have a beer with anyone who's company I enjoy. I don't really think about how "good" a friend they are.

VestanPance

I have two friends that I've known for a long time. Anyone else I know is merely an acquaintance.

stormbreaker

None. This thread is a wee eye opener. I didn't think there would be many like me.

It is something that bothers me and I do get very down about it. I always think there must be something wrong with me.:(

purpleshoes_2

stormbreaker wrote: »

None. This thread is a wee eye opener. I didn't think there would be many like me.

It is something that bothers me and I do get very down about it. I always think there must be something wrong with me.:(

Im quite a sociable person, but I often have to force myself to go out in the first place. I got to the stage a couple of years ago where I just stayed in and then had to give myself a push to get back out there. I run a couple of groups through the site meet up and it would amaze you how many people need to get back out there and out and about due to changes in their lives, relationship splits, other people settling down and them being left with few people to go out with,

Even people who are in relationships often use a site such as meet up to make new friends or fill in the gaps in their time.

purpleshoes_2

Orlando_Virgin wrote: »

I think you're right here to be honest. I just treat people as they come, I can talk to any other football loving male and enjoy myself and have a laugh and see them every week, that's all I see them as, I don't really categorise from there. But lads will just talk to other lads as long as they have something in common.

When I see women in groups, 9 times out of 10 they are with the same "group". I will just go and have a beer with anyone who's company I enjoy. I don't really think about how "good" a friend they are.

I support the same football team as my brother, we share a season ticket but the only time Ive had company at a game has been on the odd occasion where my mum has gone, with my ex bf who got me into going in the first place and that was over 25 years ago.

For my brother supporting that team has led him to meeting a crowd of friends, through posting on one of the internet supporters forums, who he has been friends with maybe 10 years now, he plays for one of the supporters internet based teams and theres around 10-15 of them who sit together at match days.

Me, more often than not, I go, watch the game and go home. Which is totally fine by me, its just different to his experience.

Orlando_Virgin

Some people find it harder to make friends than others do. I will literally talk to anybody, some would call it self-confidence, my Dad would call it "being a gobsh*te".:rotfl:

Some people are perfectly happy without friends, they are content with their families or their partners or whatever, I think it's just up to you. i get bored quite easily and tend to flit between groups, but as I said earlier, I always have my two best friends no matter what, even if I don't see them as much as others.

If you struggle to make friends, and it makes you unhappy that you don't have any, then that makes me sad. It certainly doesn't mean there is something wrong with you!! I hated reading that. Maybe you have some unique interests that not many people have, or you need to make that step socially to give people a chance to see what a nice person you are!