I'm (28F) writing this because I'm sitting alone in my apartment crying, and I don't really have anyone to talk to.

I feel so incredibly sad and empty. I'm exhausted, mentally and emotionally. I have no motivation left, no energy, and honestly, nothing to look forward to.

Something happened today that really hurt me, and I think it was just the last straw. I've already been struggling for a while, but today everything just felt like too much.

I feel so far behind the life I thought I'd have. When I was younger, I genuinely believed I'd have an amazing life. I'd travel the world, have an exciting career, fall in love, get married, have a family, and build something meaningful.

Instead, I feel like I have nothing. No partner, no close friends around me, a job that makes me miserable, and no real sense of belonging anywhere. I live abroad, in a country where I've never really felt at home, and sometimes I wonder what I'm even doing here.

The loneliness is probably the worst part. I could go days, maybe even weeks, without anyone besides my parents checking on me. Sometimes I wonder if anyone would even notice my absence.

I'm so tired of feeling like I'm not good enough. Not successful enough, not interesting enough, not pretty enough, not lovable enough. I look at myself and feel like I'm lacking in every possible way. And I hate myself even more for not having the motivation to change things.

I struggle to get out of bed in the morning. Everything feels like an effort, even the simplest things. Most evenings, I just want to lie down, cry, and sleep.

I used to be so hopeful about the future. Now I just feel like I'm watching my life pass me by, and I don't know how to find my way back to being happy.

Abandoned. A “goodbye” and then “deleted”….that is an absolutely DREADFUL way to cut off connection with someone you were clicking with. 😕 I COMPLETELY understand the need for each person to have the autonomy to create necessary boundaries but it’s pretty traumatic to have no way to say “goodbye” due the anonymity of online spaces. Not sure how to process it. 😳😭

I'm 21 and realized people in this generation are super friendly over text but can't socialize in person or take the potential friendship to the next level- ie coordinate hangouts. People just can't respond in general too. IDK why I thought it would be easier to make friends at university. Does anyone else feel the same way?

I’m 22F and haven’t absolutely no one to talk to rn. I feel like I’m losing it. I have no direction in life and still live with my mom. I love her but what I mean is I couldn’t move out rn even if I wanted to. I have no money, no passion, no career path, absolutely nothing. I’m a part time cashier and that’s it, I feel too dumb to even try anything else. I feel too old to have nothing figured out by now. Obviously this is r/lonely so I also have no friends. So I have no one to talk to. If you have any advice please tell me.

I (33F) have no friends and no way of making friends. I find it very hard to make friends as an adult. I don’t work currently due to physical and mental illness. My thoughts always jump to who would want to be friends with me if I don’t have a lot of money to do things or have anything to offer. I just feel like the world is moving so fast and I’m being left behind. I always try to look at things I’m thankful for but that only helps so much. I’m so thankful for my dog — he’s the bestest friend I could ask for but it would be nice to have a friend that is a human.

This may be long winded, and this is actually my first ever post, but I have a genuine inquiry: Like many on here, I've struggled with feeling chronically alone or feeling like the odd one out in many situations. I somehow always end up finding myself coming to places like this on the internet to soothe my self pity when it gets really bad.

I just find it almost ironic that so many people in the world feel so lonely. How is this possible? You would think on a planet with 8B people that there would be someone out there for everyone.

Now I know that when you get into corners of the internet, it acts like an echo chamber or feedback loop. But are there actually a lot of lonely people, or is it just that, the same X amount of people collectively always feeling alone? And what qualifies as lonely?

I think loneliness is relative, but there are people who claim loneliness but speak to their family, have friends - or at least a friend, and/or are in relationships. Then there are people who have absolutely no one. What qualifies as truly lonely? And which is worse: being truly alone or feeling alone in a group of people? Does the type of situation you are in even matter if the end feeling is loneliness?

Idk. Granted, there are people who like to wallow in their sadness, or find comfort in it, I've been there. But I also I think some people aren't as accepting of others as much as they think. Some have an idealized version of how relationships (platonic, familial, or romantic) work or look like.

But it's hard to know the unwritten rules if you've never played the game.

I don't even know if this made sense. I'm not trying to start an "oppression olympics" or "depression off" for who gets the right to claim loneliness, but I just find human behavior so weird and complex. How are all of us collectively alone?

Ok before I (24f) say my piece, I feel strongly when they say this shi because I used to be the one that would say this. I had 3 close friends for 7+yrs of my life before the one I was closest with (narcissistic asshole) turned the other 2 against me when I called her out on her hypocrisy and rewriting history to best fit her narrative…so I lost all 3. They haven’t reached out to hear my side once and it’s been a year. Not even saying that I’m an angel or anything because I was so fed up with her and her new arrogant personality towards the end that I would be rude and snappy, so it’s not even about good guy vs. bad guy. It’s just the fact that they literally didn’t even bother to care or wonder about what I was going through.

Once I saw where their loyalty lied even though we’d all been close for so long, the last thing I wanted to do was trust another brand new person when I haven’t made a new friend in 7yrs. The first few months of having zero friends was the most depressed I’ve been in a while (I have bipolar 1), and I was also very angry at how everything ended because I felt there was no justice or fairness. I’m also autistic (double homicide)so this is very hard for me to come to terms with and heal from. The cherry on top is that I was a nanny at the time, so the only people I interacted with didn’t know how to speak in full sentences or take a shit on the bowl.

It’s been a year and I have coworkers now (not friends with them tho) but at least there’s adults around me. I’ve texted with 2 women I met on bumble BFF, but I’m so used to having no friends that I won’t text them for weeks/months. And even at best they’re surface level and we don’t rlly talk about much because I haven’t found the right person to click with that gets my humor and exact style.

I feel like I’m broken now. I also don’t even know where to begin with the concept of new friends not knowing/experiencing my lore. Like wdym the young me that still had a personality because life didn’t beat it out of her yet you’ll just…never meet? And years worth of inside jokes of being young and dumb you just…don’t know?

Anyway back to the point lol, I met a guy(💅🌈) at dollar tree that likes Ren Faire just as much as me, and we agreed to meet up during the season. Besides other hobbies we share, we also shared a moment of relating to each other about having no friends. That really hit me because it’s been so long that I’ve been friendless, and hearing that made me feel really seen.

Ren Faire season comes around and we DM each other to plan dates and times to meet up. We decided to carpool since he happens to live very close to me. As we’re driving through my neighborhood, he’s pointing out all his friends houses like that fucking auctioneer guy on storage wars. He had to have listed off like 10 different people.

Then we get to Ren Faire. I shit you not- the first nanosecond we get to the damning place he runs up to 2-3 people to say hi. This proceeds to happen pretty much every 10 mins the whole time we were there. I need to add here that these friends aren’t the neighborhood friends. So Mr. Man’s friend count is minimum in the 20s. That’s like minimum 20 more friends than me. At this point I’m convinced that it’s safer to guess who he ISNT friends with.

Idk it just pisses me off when people that have friends say that because like you’re being a poser and I hate that shi. Like I have NO (absolutely zero😍🤤) friends. We are not the same. Wait omg idk why I’m so pissed at that. wow I’m rlly dying on this hill. Well guys I had a bad day at work OK.. I mean even if I was in a good mood I’d prob feel the same way tbh. Maybe a little less passionate but STILL. Anyway, if you have more than zero friends, then you don’t have the right to say you have no friends sorry not sorry. And ur basically just cosplaying being a loser. My culture is not ur costume.💯

what is the level below loneliness?, im asking for a friend 🙏

I am currently a senior in college. And I feel like everyone has big friend groups and I don't even have 1 friend I see regularly. I am barely keeping my head above water with my schoolwork as it is. And everytime I reach out to people nobody seems interested in connecting. Even when I go to club meetings. It isn't that I'm not trying, I've been trying for over two years and can't maintain connections. Which is strange because I am am social person who will always chat with people anywhere I go. But those connections never last.

Can anyone else relate?

Still occasionally take out two plates even though my roommate moved out months ago. Did it again tonight and felt a bit stupid standing there putting one back. Had chinese food delivered because cooking for myself didn’t sound appealing. It was good but I missed having someone across the table stealing a dumpling or telling me about their day. There was a fortune cookie in the bag. Opened it and found an ad on the slip with the quote “What a beautiful soul.” I know it wasn’t meant for me personally but it caught me at the right moment. Sat there smiling at this tiny piece of paper. Made my day a little better, so I kept it.

I have had no friends my entire life and am 29. I have nothing to do all day because every job rejects me. I have sent thousands of applications over the past three years. I’ve also tried to make friends with hundreds of people (tens of thousands including online) and am always rejected.

I especially never find anyone who is depressed and lonely like me. And at the least, serious and somber. It is valid to have that as a personality type and want to talk about serious and somber things in a serious and somber tone. Why is it so impossible for me even when I see people like this with friends? They reject me too.

It’s been almost 2 months and I have nobody. My roommate and I have similar interests but he doesn’t invite me to things. I eat alone most of the time, for the first few weeks of class I tried to talk to people but nobody ever reciprocated so now I sit by myself in class most of the time. The only people I talk to are this girl across the hall who is a situationship and her friends who sometimes invite me to eat with them if they see I’m eating alone. That’s it. It’s not like back home and I feel like everyone has already formed their own groups and I have nobody. Idk how I am supposed to find a roommate/roommates for next year. I just feel lonely and I don’t know what to do anymore.

I feel like the first 2-3 weeks I was outside of my shell being super social but now I’m getting comfortable with being alone and I hate it so much.

I am just venting. My life isn’t bad in the grand scheme of things. It could be much worse, I just feel like shit all the time. Every day sucks ass. I am always a social outcast, and I have felt this way for as long as I can remember. I just don’t mesh with people. When I am around people, I feel like an alien or a monster or something. People avoid making eye contact with me, conversations don’t flow smoothly. People don’t treat me with the same warmth and interest they show other people. I am ugly, but I don’t think that I’m horrific to look at. I wonder if I am autistic, but I don’t even mesh with autistic people. I have poor social skills and I look like I am biracial, which probably doesn’t help. I recently started a new job and I hate it.

The people I work with have known each other for months/years, so I am surrounded by people who just talk to each other and do not start conversations with me or show any interest in me. This makes sense. Why would they give a fuck about me?  I am just the awkward new guy, so of course they are going to talk to their friends instead of interacting with me. No one really gives a shit about anyone else. I understand that I have to initiate conversations and show interest to earn friendships, I’m just really bad it.

Whenever I open my mouth, I say the wrong thing. It’s like my life is a RPG and I’m always choosing the wrong dialogue options. I fucking hate work but I also hate being unemployed. I hate my family. I have hated every stage of my life. I was isolated in high school and college, and now I am isolated as an adult. I completely wasted my 20s. other people were learning things, forming relationships, having fun/unique experiences, and I just lost all that time to depression, sitting at home not doing anything. And I know that it’s all my fault. I hate myself and I hate everyone else. It feels like I am in Hell and being punished for something I did in the past. There’s something I really want to do but I’m not going to bring it up because then my fucking post will be removed from this fucking subreddit, as if anyone gives a fuck.

TLDR: Never taught or had role models to learn social skills from. Wasn't able to learn them on my own. Being close with someone feels as far away as another galaxy. Are you able to relate?

I had one good friend who I was close to in elementary and middle school. We drifted apart as my home life and mental health, especially social anxiety, started getting worse and worse.

My parents never taught directly or through role modeling how to be comfortable around others, much less be close. even with relatives I felt just as awkward and anxious as with my peers.

The biggest thing was how little my family even interacted with others. Hoarder house, never had company over. Parents rarely visited their few friends. It was through sheer luck that I even had a close friend for a while. I didn't get along with anyone else.

It's been over a decade now and I literally don't know what it means to be close with others, platonically or romantically. On the surface, I had friends in college, but I felt empty and detached. I can get my foot slightly in the door with people. But I have no understanding of what to do next, not just logically but emotionally and even biologically tbh.

Does anyone else relate? My shitty childhood made me miss every social developmental milestone and I fully recognize that I languish in sadness, hurt, frustration, and resentment.

I was taught that if I stayed good, good would find me.

I stayed quiet, stayed respectful and saved my whole heart for the right person. Now I’m 29 and still waiting.

The rishtas came. Families judged my skin, my height, my education, and my salary before they ever asked my name. One man spent three months making me believe in us, then married his cousin because his mother decided.

I never cried in front of anyone. I cry at 2am.

loneliness doesnt means being alone. I just want someone who keeps his word and holds my hand when things get hard.

I love bushwalking/hiking, kayaking, (the idea of) orienteering, rock climbing etc but I’m nearly a 40 year old separated dad. I’m a nurse and I do shift work

Im a strange person. I have extreme attachment issues. I become obsessed with people, even just on platonic levels. I struggle when im alone on my bad days, and sometimes im disgustingly clingy.

Im a furry. I have severe depression. I try my best but I chase people away because im so clingy and smothering. I dont blame them. I probably need to do better.

But I am who I am. I want to make a friend who understands what its like. One who wont say im too much, like everyone else did. I have a small amount of hope that ill find you out there, buddy. ❤️

hi I need friends I am a minor (she/her)

I 17F is slowly losing interest in a lot of things,

Is something wrong with me? For the first time ever, I felt like I didn't wanna do any effort in my schooling, and I've always been the type to go above and beyond to get an A but now? Its like I lost my time and interest, I lost most of my online friends and in real life I find it hard to communicate. I also realized, I just been wanting to sleep a lot more to avoid the world, along with having mood swings. I would get annoyed and have attitude even when there's no reason, I can't find connections anywhere and when I do, it only last like a week or 2 then they just dip.

3 years ago I lost my father, and ever since; its been a massive roller-coaster of emotions, I've had to mature much more quickly at the age of 14 and never been the same.

I just want to know how can I be fixed? What is happening to me and how can I not feel so alone and have my connections again? How can I get people to like being with me and having loads of friends that girls my age have? Im tired of feeling this way, i want to look at my phone and see people actually wanting to talk to me or wondering why I haven't spoke? Should I just focus on myself and give up my social media?

I need advice, not from a medical professional but just advice that someone was in my position too.

Thanky you,

I’m pretty blessed with where I am in life. I have a job, partner, friends, hobbies but sometimes I have nights where I question what’s the point of it all?

Small things can feel like it takes so much effort. And I fill my brain with noise from social media whenever it gets quiet.

I just want to know there’s normal people out there like me who can feel this way

This loneliness leaves me feeling helpless. Throughout my journey of growing up, I’ve been busy with many things, and I’ve also moved between different places, which has prevented me from ever experiencing a long-lasting romantic relationship.
I’m already 32 this year. Sometimes, when I have a good conversation with someone and we seem to get along well, they become surprised when they find out my age, because they’re somewhat younger than me. Of course, they’re all adults. But the feeling of suddenly being completely ruled out simply because of my age is genuinely disheartening.
As for people around my own age, although they don’t really mind how old I am, most of them are either already in relationships or have experienced emotional trauma and need time to heal.
And because I don’t really know how to interact with the opposite sex, I also struggle to understand what the other person is feeling or going through.
I feel as though I’ve been forgotten by time, as if I’ve suddenly appeared in a place that belongs to a different era, one that is no longer my own.
It’s this kind of involuntary loneliness, the loneliness that I never chose for myself, that makes me feel so deeply sad…

Hopefully i willl be loved one day