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How Many Friends?

How many close friends would be ideal for you?

  • Total voters
    43
megacomic said:
If I could I would have 20 close friends but I don't have the social skills.
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I don't think I could handle that many. Would be a bit overwhelming for me I think. I think 1 or 2 would be ideal but I can also understand the benefits of 3-4, not even sure I could manage that though lol.
 
Rasendra said:
I don't think I could handle that many. Would be a bit overwhelming for me I think. I think 1 or 2 would be ideal but I can also understand the benefits of 3-4, not even sure I could manage that though lol.
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I may be exaggerating a bit I only have one close friend but I don't like to overwhelm him with my issues because he's an NT with a ton of his own friends and a wife. I just wish I had other people I could call or text because right now I don't feel my cell bill is worth the what I pay per month.
 
None. (Human)
Dogs and cats (5)

There's no explanation needed for withdrawing and taking sometime out.

Nobody is offended or hurt by my truths or judges me for my thought patterns.

I can obsess and stim til my heart's content.

I can wander off and go anywhere, change my plans and suit myself with no social obligations.

I can drift in to or away from social activities without being answerable as to why I didn't turn up or miss an arranged meet up or coffee - don't drink coffee, smells bitter and nasty and makes me hyper.

The captain of my own ship (metaphorically speaking as I don't own a ship)

I'm not sure I'd really want to give that up by connecting with and feeling compassion for another (needy) and confusing human being.

Dogs are great, they live in the moment and that's all they do.
Cats amuse me, their attitude and independence is wonderful.
 
I don't need too many people around me, but I've ended up with lots as I have a huge family that seem to collect humans! For me, it's depth of friendship rather than the number of friends that is important. I know a lot of people, but don't know that many who I can really be myself around. I also tend not to tell people I'm autistic, as it changes how they view/treat you. So I'm never really 'me' around anyone. I think I'm quite lucky to have such a big family (who mostly live nearby) who enjoy socialising a lot. It fulfils that gap in my life and it's reassuring to know I won't die an old lonely cat woman (unless I move to the other side of the planet)! :D
 
"people I consider friends: '0'
people that think they are my friends max 5"

Hahaha! Exactly! I sometimes feel bad about this. People tell me I am entertaining (weird) and motivational (overly enthusiastic) to be around, so I get asked to go out and socialise a lot but spend more time politely turning people down as I'm really not interested in 90% of what they enjoy! I get invited to parties by people who I barely remember speaking to and have to come up with some excuse as to why I'm busy that weekend and every single weekend for the foreseeable future! I can't really say 'I have a maximum socialising quota and we have zero things in common so please go away'.
 
If you count spouses, children and dogs (and who wouldn't?), I currently have 3 close friends. They get my all.

My job requires interaction with lots of people, so I have several very good acquaintances from that pool. No interactions outside of work, though.

I think I could handle 1 or 2 more semi-close friends. It would take a long time for them to have the "semi-" label removed, but it would be possible. If that happened, I would probably be maxed out on number of friends.
 
Do online friends count? If so, I have one good friend that I talk to on a regular basis. Ideally, I would like to have 1-2 close friends, plus maybe a romantic partner later on. I think much more than that might be a bit overwhelming.
 
I have 2 close friends (other than my husband) to whom I am very grateful, but I am not a great friend to them as I struggle to be a good friend in general. I think people are very valuable and interesting - but I'm not very good at sustaining and nourishing a proper relationship. Sometimes I like people so much - and feel sad that so much of what I have to offer them is the equivalent of poo. But then again, I like my alone time, so it's not like I'd be able to really give them anything more even if I had it to offer.
 
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Daniel89 said:
I literally have no friends, I have had friends in the past but cannot see me making new ones.
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I usually underestimate how much people care about me. I have 3 close friends I could call 24/7 if I needed something. A few other relatively close friends, and a handful of people that I could call "regular" friends. These are the friends I hang out with in groups, but don't meet up with alone. Then there are some distant friends close to my heart, some of whom I have not seen in years, but who would be welcome at my home whenever they happened to be in the area. And then there are loads of distant friends whom I never had a falling out with, but where life just got in the way and the friendship sort of fizzled. We send each other birthday wishes and a text message at happy new years and sometimes make vague plans to get together, knowing full well that we're not actually meeting up.

Sometimes I wish I had more friends. Then I realize that I actually have quite a few friends, I just don't get out much.
 
I like to have just one good friend. Right now, that's my husband. I get too anxious having friends ask me what I'm doing or what we should do. The only thing I find in common with those around me now is drinking, which I have really cut down on. I did have more friends when I would go out and drink, hard to talk to people when sober. I don't think it's worth it to go back to that though. My husband encourages me to hang out with others but I don't see the reason. The only reason I would perhaps want another friend is in case I lose my husband.
 
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