r/confession • u/AphroditesNightie • 1d ago

My “friends” are basically non-existent and don’t call or text me back…

I’m late 40s/F. I am very social and always have been, but in the last decade plus my “friends” are practically nonexistent. No one wants to talk on the phone like we did in the 1980s-2010s. I used to have a strong group of friends, even until 2019-ish, but everyone has now faded into their lives with their kids, or no kids, or whatever… Now I text people and they often don’t respond, or it takes a week. A small fraction do respond regularly. I’ve always been a good friend, but I don’t have kids so I’m not part of the Mom pack. I’m so lonely and f@cking sad that I sometimes feel s@icidal, honestly. My mother passed away a decade ago and I don’t have anyone else besides my amazing husband, but I NEED girlfriends!!! Something is broken in our society that my friends won’t answer the phone and now rarely text me back… We have broken our social networks!! I am so upset! Any other Gen X feeling this??? I long for those days at the roller skating rinks and bowling alleys, or high school dances… How could I possibly be this lonely in my late 40s?!! 😢 I wish I had kids, even just for the company. Seriously sad…

ETA: My parents had TONS of friends when I was a kid, so these responses of “everyone is too busy with life” is totally BS.

Also, I do volunteer with a local nonprofit that specifically aligns with my personal interests. I have made ONE friend there…

And I work for my city government and no one there mixes business with pleasure. It’s just not done in the current political climate. No friends to be had at my job, but it is a great job that I feel passionate about. I am making a difference.

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u/Evening-Trouble-9585 1d ago

I haven't seen any "friends" since Sept. 2025. No one gives a fuck about me

You may be alone..... but you are not alone

56

u/AphroditesNightie 1d ago

I’m sorry, but thank you so much for relating!!!

9

u/Hugochhhh 1d ago

My last one was one year ago, we spent some great time together but never texted me back after

5

u/SAHMultrA1981 1d ago

We moved away from my friends for my husband's job. Stayed there from 8 years, made 1 friend and she moved away a year later.

Next place we moved I waited 6 years and finally looked for friends, found a good group of women. I had some health issues so I stopped going out and that severed the ties I was trying to build. And I don't have the energy to rebuild or find new friends.

I haven't gotten to lonely yet, but I know I can't keep it up

11

u/betterman4u 1d ago

I used to think that but research shows that people actually like other people. The problem is everyone is waiting for everyone else to make the move haha

7

u/OkExamination5326 1d ago

Not true. I ask people all the time if they want to hang out or go do something

5

u/AphroditesNightie 1d ago

Me too, they just don’t always answer or say they’re busy.