Reply To: Why do I have no friends

I’ve not been in your specific situation, but I did live in a few different places in my 20s and with those changes, there were a few points where I didn’t have a strong network of friends/support in my immediate area. I also went through a pretty low point in my late 20s where I did push my childhood best friend away.

Have you tried reconnecting with more than just the one friend? I think it sounds like a worthwhile thing to do.

You seem to be doing the right things for an adult trying to make new friends. Try to remember the things people say about themselves and ask about it later. Ask people questions. Take the initiative to organize outings (with the caveat that eventually the effort should come from both sides). Keep going to things that interest you. I went to Meet Up groups, joined social sports leagues, joined book clubs, volunteered, etc. I’ve made some good friends specifically through my book club. Through other avenues, I sometimes made casual friends or even no friends. You can’t fully control the outcome, you just have to keep showing up for yourself. Heck, you could even give something like Bumble BFF a shot.

It’s good you at least recognize your insecurities and are aware that you have taken them out on others. It’s probably worth your while to still look into therapy. Many therapists offer sliding scale fees for folks who are otherwise unable to afford it.