Or is it just me? 
I love meeting new people and make friends but the older I get, the harder it gets for me to make and maintain new friendships.
7 Likes
People in that age group often have families and careers to focus on. Some go as far as having to ask their spouseās permission to hang out with friends.
Just in my experience. In my 20s there were way more people my age wanting to do things.
5 Likes
Not just you.
Building friendships later in life takes longer. By the time I was in my mid 30ās, I had a wife, kids, career, house, a budding addiction to alcohol, and many friends from my 20ās. Already being stretched thin, adding a new friend into the fold was nigh impossible.
Even worse in my mid 40s, mainly because I really dont want or need new friends lol.
9 Likes
Not just you. Personally Iāve been more or less a social disaster all my life. I just canāt, people makes me nervous. Meeting someone new now (Iām 38) means that I more or less trying to figure out why on earth they are trying to befriend me of all people.
7 Likes
I think because at this point in our lives we just want to skip the whole new friendship process and just skip to being good friends but it doesnāt work like that lol too much energy.
3 Likes
I wish I had an answer for you. Iām in the same situation. If I meet new interesting people Iām not able to maintain a friendship or let one properly develop after a few meetings.
On top of that I donāt even have any friends left from earlier years or school time. I moved country and now itās just me, my immediate family and a few casual acquaintancesā¦ and a cat!
7 Likes
Iāve also noticed as people get older and stay in long term relationships they tend to do ācouplesā things. All the friends I remember my parents having while growing up were couples. In their 60s I donāt think they have any friends. There was always some sort of conflict that ended it. lol
3 Likes
When youāre still single but all your friends have married, then it becomes couples with other couples, and youāve become a āfifth wheelā and gradually are excluded. Then itās couples with kids with other couples with kids. If you donāt have kids, youāre excluded. Itās this ongoing competition.
3 Likes
I used to hang out with a guy I worked with who was married. Everything we did involved his wife and kid and it felt awkward as hell, like I was the 2nd kid and they were the parents. They were always trying to hook me up with someone.
When we went to Vietnam earlier this year I was fully expecting his wife to show up at the airport but they separated.
2 Likes
Yes! I remember being dragged along to Target to pick up some Pampers! 
Getting hooked up with people you have nothing in common withā¦been there, too. They pity you because you donāt have a partner.
2 Likes
The amount of āfree timeā we have in our younger years to unknowingly pour into a new friendship makes it easier to create a solid bond. I hardly have time to do the things I need to do now so I have zero friendsā¦ Or maybe Iām just an asshole 
and nobody wants to be my friend lolā¦ All 2 of my really close friends still drink hard so I donāt ever really see them. All of my relationships outside of my house are here on TS now
3 Likes
While we do hang out with all different kinds of people, Iād say thatās because itās easier. The kids can play with each other, and the other parent/parents most of the time prefer a picnic at the playground instead of going to a restaurant where they might not serve chicken nuggets. And because theyāve got kids of their own theyāll wonāt be annoyed by your kids coming to interrupt,or thinking you are a freak because you havenāt seen the last episode of Kardashians but instead watched every episode of Bluey (An Australian kids show about a cartooned Dog Family) on repeat the last 6 months 
There are indeed some people who are āKidās friendlyā even if they donāt have kids or a partner, but if you hang out with other families with kids on the same age, at least you donāt have to worry about your kids being bored, or the person you hang out with being bored when you want to do kid friendly things.
It also eliminates the struggle with finding a babysitter because youāre doing activities where youāll bring your kids. 
2 Likes
Thank you guys, all of you have good points.!
For me I guess the reason why I have zero friends itās because Iāve moved to different places a few times. I had to move countries when I was a teenager and I tried to keep in contact with my childhood friends for a while but long distance friendships are a struggle for me. After that Iāve moved different states and just about 6 years ago I moved to the town I currently live in and itās been a struggle to find friends or have a sense of belonging to the community. It feels so lonely and I wish so hard I could go back to my old city. Sadly, itās not a possibility
4 Likes
If you have free time I would volunteer doing something that is meaningful to you. You would meet other people that share that same interest and it could be a good starting block for new friendships 
6 Likes
I am with Dan, volunteering can help make friends with similar interests. It is hard in your 60s as well. Yoga has been a good place to meet some folks as well.
3 Likes
The older I get, the more particular I am about who I choose to spend my valuable and limited time with. I add rarely, but those I have have beem friends with me for a long time.
5 Likes
Since I decided to quit, I started to get more involved at church and Iāve been trying to attend some groups and like you guys say do some volunteering but Iām still battling my alcohol addiction, the cravings and urges have been so bad lately that some days I have to go to bed around 6pm. Itās very hard to focus on anything when Iām craving so bad. I wish it could go away soon
5 Likes
In early sobriety I shut down the day early and went to bed as well. That wonāt last forever. It takes a lot of courage to put yourself out there and build connections. Very well done!
3 Likes
I hang out with people in recovery.
A church fellowship can be nice too.
I prayed and asked God to bring good people into my life. But doing the 12 steps was they key. They lifted my self-esteem.
2 Likes
You know what? I havenāt actually tried the 12 steps. I have been trying to build sober friendships but I guess itāll be slow process. Iāll have to add that to my to-do list. My self esteem definitely needs a boost
2 Likes