How many friends do you think you need?

[exitseven]

Researchers say that most people need 3-6 close friends. I do not know how they figured this out.

Updates

+1 y

I had 6 close friends when I was growing up. 3 were from the neighborhood and the other 3 were from where I went for vacation. Two are dead. One moved far away and two of the other ones I hardly ever see anymore. I used to have a tribe as well. Getting married and having kids tales up a lot of my time and I sort of let all these relationships lapse. It is hard to make friends when you are in your 50s.

[DizzyDesii]

Since middle school, I had 5 close friends who each lasted anywhere from 7-14 years of my life. I refuse to put in that much work again to what became a waste in my eyes. Im never gonna marry or have kids with them so why keep up with em. Law and Aye had controlling girlfiends. Tan felt I’d never be good girl enough for her extreme Christian ways. Pat could never get past me not wanting to become something more. And Kourt would always have her backstabbing ways as she continued to bring former enemies around me who made a part of my high school experience awful. So of those 5, Some I ghosted and others i downgraded to an acquaintance. They would all knock on my door and I’d ignore it like I’m not home. They’d call my phone and i’d ignore their calls. They’d text or mail me letters and I’d never reply. I just dont really care for them anymore and i want them to get that. I know I’m not a good friend but them not being a good friend made me feel like it was okay to be just as bad

[DizzyDesii]

To answer the question, i think 0 are needed. As long as a person is still social, they dont have to keep friendships. Im social with others just not them

[Emiliamazing]

I’m guessing it depends on your personality. Another individual mentioned introvert and extrovert. I’m sure that plays a role. I have a few very close friends, and then I have long-distance friends that were close friends before my husband and I moved out of the Midwest. My husband is unbelievably social and easily makes friends everywhere.
at minimum, I think we need a friend who has similar thoughts structures and beliefs that we can confide in and talk about problems with. I know my husband has grown distant from a few friends who have adopted some very radical political views as well as not really holding the values that they had when they were in college.

[exitseven]

do you find it hard to make friends as you got older?

[Emiliamazing]

We run in different circles now than when we were just single/newlyweds. My husband just makes friends with anyone that he encounters with similar values and interests. I tend to forge close relationships through my work circles and my hobby circles. The neighborhood we live in is also starting to become populated with more families with kids as some of the retired folks are downsizing. I’m hoping that we are both made some friendships that will last the rest of our lives with some of the parents as well as coworkers

[Emiliamazing]

I should be more detailed in regards to the actual question you posed. I think it is harder because we have more time constraints pulling at us from all directions as parents and as well as our careers. Even though we both are basically in charge of our work lives, we have to pick and choose where our attention goes. We try very hard to pick family first and then let the rest fall into place

[Emiliamazing]

Thank you for selecting me MHG. Great question and I hope I was of assistance.

[exitseven]

Yes, you make a lot of sense.

[Anonymous]

I need one friend


I have only had one friend for the last 3 years, before that I had a group of 4 friends and before that a different group of 4. I can’t even remember having a friend in kindergarten and first grade which bothers me, like did I have one or not?


But yes just one for me, I recently made a new friend but I hardly see her since we live far apart. My friend at school is slipping away to his new friends and so even though he’s still my friend I don’t talk to him as much anymore.


So I don’t need a friend I’d say, but preferably one.

[AviatorTom]

@exitseven I'm with you. I don't think there's a specific number of friends needed, though it is important to have people in your life that you can talk with and share your experiences. I had 2-3 close friends in high school, college and my twenties. As I've gotten older and moved around, I've lost contact with those friends. Now, it's mainly my family and co-workers that might be considered my "friends". Let's not forget our dog... she and I are definitely "buddies".

[AviatorTom]

Thanks for the mho

[NathanDavis]

that sounds about right... I do have 6 to 9 very good friend, best friends, three of them I consider them the closest to me

other people I consider friends as in friendly or well known acquaintances, like the guys I play soccer with on the weekends, I know them well and we hang out often we get along, but we are not really that close and involved in a more personal level

but I think it does not matter how many you have, as long as they are very good friends, I think that's what matters the most

[roaring20sman]

I think your friend group is different depending on your age and your social life. When we’re kids, we tend to have a lot more friends than we do as adults because we’re just starting out in terms of interacting with others. So we’re trying to find the people we vibe with, as time passes and we get older this group goes from probably around 10+ friends to maybe around 5 or less, again depending on your social life. When we get older, we tend to get busy with our own lives and the people we truly care about stick around while others (we probably still care about) fade away over time. Again everyone is different, so someone else might have a different experience but from what I’ve gathered, this tends to be what happens with most people. Hope that helps

[Aerissa_Jade]

Don't know where they get that either, as I'd imagine extroverts want more than a ambivert or a introvert.

[exitseven]

is ambivert even a real word?

[Aerissa_Jade]

Yup, its a balance between the two, someone that isn't 100% of either. They tend to have very close friends but only 1 or 2.

[exitseven]

okay.

[Daniela1982]

I don't know either. But the more friends the merrier, and I mean real friends, not Facebook friends.

[exitseven]

I had a whole group of friends from college. During the summer I used to go someplace different just about every weekend. I worked out i a gym that had a lot of real characters and on any given night if you went into a local watering hole there would always be a group of guys there.

[Mynameisbobby]

If you have one good friend that's all you really need. Good friends are hard to come by I mean a friend who accepts you for who you are and one that you can confide in. One that knows everything about you and still accepts you. If you have just one friend like this that's enough in my opinion.

[TrueConfection]

Wait, are we supposed to have friends? 😂

I'm with you. Marriage and kids has not left me a lot of time to nurture friendships. I had a core group (very tight, very close) of 8 including myself. I was the one that moved away. I've made other friends, but none that even come close.

[midnightmoon05]

Circumstances created lots of friendship throughout my younger years. I also make friends easily. now I like my quiet time. I keep a few close friends.

[hafinjun]

Well if the research is valid I'm down by at least 2 . For 5 bucks I'll let anyone here be a Friend 😁 (kidding)

[exitseven]

@hafinjun How did you lose the friends that you had?

[hafinjun]

Not sure o had any to begin with

[Guy13]

One ☝️ good one. Couple others with like interest such as soccer pitch.

[lightbulb27]

2-5 is good. I don't have that anymore, maybe very distant.

[lightbulb27]

i agree, with your update. best way is via common interests and activities.

[Moose304]

I'm going to have to ask you to define what you mean by a friend? I have "friends" all across the globe. If you mean someone you trust and confide in I have maybe 8. If you mean people I know and am friendly with I have maybe 25. If you mean things like career-related networking that is in the hundreds. In fact, my business Twitter has almost 1500 followers.

[Static_In_The_Attic]

As for me all I need is ONE good & lifelong friend & any friends after that would be a bonus & I would be honored.

[Bratsondanielle]

I usually say I have tons of friends but I'd say close ( like people who are ok to just walk in my house anytime) I'd say maybe 12

[HoraceB]

Enough to have a Savage Worlds game. So about 5 or 6. 😉

[MTC29]

I have a core group of four or five close friends, otherwise I have golfing buddies, shooting buddies, motorcycling riding buddies, fishing buddies, and of course the all-important drinking buddies.

[Dontaaaa]

I got like three close friends and I feel pretty comfy with that for the most part.

I have a few other friends that aren't as close.

I just sometimes wish I had more friends to play certain video games with, other than that I'm gucci.

[Iron_Man]

I have two or three friends that are good enough for me

[BillyBalls]

I have two close friends that I have known from high school.

But as you made reference to, I had a number of close friends throughout life but life happened. True friendship can be transitory.

[SolitarySolace]

I can only tolerate 1 best friend and a small group of friends. It's too difficult to find time to hang out with a large group of friends. Especially when you are the type to want everyone involved.

[Sonorous]

Need? None. Want? Any amount that will aid my mental &/or physical health while not overwhelming me.

[Yucy_Gluttony]

Need... NEED need. I would say one really good friend.

[WhitneySnow]

I have four really close friends and I’m pretty happy

[dustybiker]

Yes, that sounds about right.

[Jamie05rhs]

2 or 3 good ones. Plus a wife, hopefully.

[MCheetah]

I personally would not want more than five.

[XXblack88]

2 or 3

[jamesgoldman]

3 works for me so I'll stick with that

[msc545]

maybe 3

[MrSmithee]

2...

[moonpie89]

Sounds reasonable

[Hispanic-Cool-Guy]

Zero.

[Akpos]

12 friends

[TrillXHippy]

2 friends

[malwins]

I would agree

[Slim57]

Just 1

[Anonymous]

2 is good for me