How important are friends to you?

[Niteowl]

Very. I just don't have any that I can meet up with for real any more.

 

[Iseesky]

I don't have any friends any more because **** happens but they were extreamly important to me. I'm not the type to have just casual friends I want real friends, the ones who know you better than you know yourself, the ones who are there for you even when your at your worst, the ones who love you reguardless. These are the things that I have in me in excess that I offer to people who I call friend. Unfortunately I can't find anyone to have this kind of friendship with. I have only ever claimed three friends in my life. I miss them terribly but we all grew up and changed and perhaps I hold a child like view of what friendship is but I won't accept anything less because then it doesn't feel like a real friendship to me. I tend to get hurt alot because of this fanciful view of frienship that I hold. I am completely unrealistic?

This is exactly how I feel about it. To me, a friend is someone who is ALWAYS there for you. I've ALWAYS been there for my friends, but sometimes I feel like they just aren't there for me. I feel like I'm talking to the wall with them sometimes. And I'm quick to say 'they aren't good friends,' but what is a friend? Is a friend someone that you can do fun things with? Maybe...But, a friend to me is someone I can have fun with on top of someone who understands me and someone who wants me to be my best.

 

[Magicmuffin]

I have friends but i dont see them too often, i have distanced myself from them lately. Now i feel that I have few or no people to talk with... damn im so alone :/

 

[BratBaby]

I used to have about a handful of friends in high school now most of them we dont talk anymore so I really only have about 2 real life friends but they now live in different states so I dont see them much but we talk on the phone alot my other friends I met online and we havent met in person but friends are friends to me it doesnt matter to me where I met them from they are as important to me as my family is

 

[nothingtofear]

I've got a couple friends who I trust and who are very important to me. I only see them around once a month, often less. I'm very content spending most of time time alone and when I'm around someone too much it wears us both out and bores us out of obligation or at least that's how I've felt in the past. I don't feel the need to see my friends very often and I don't really want to but sometimes I do for their sake because I think I'm not being as good a friend as I should be by going long stretches of time without seeing or talking to them and I often wonder if I should hang out with them a bit more than I do.

 

[nothingtofear]

"A friend to all is a friend to none"
- Aristotle

that doesn't really have to do with how much you see them but since a lot of us here have SA and I'm assuming many of you (like me) don't have many friends, I think it's kind of relevant. I know you've probably heard it a million times but a few really good friends are way better than a ton of friendships that hardly mean anything to you. That's my opinion anyway.

 

[Minty]

It's...difficult. Friendship is very important to me because I like knowing there are people in my life who understand me and trust me with their own issues. However, all the friends I've had up to this point in my life just made me feel like an outsider. They reminded me how different I am from the average person. I had difficulty relating to them and ultimately pushed them away.

I've never had a friendship with the level of closeness that makes friendship valuable to me. But in my head, it seems wonderful. Since I've never experienced it, I have to wonder if it exists or if it's this perfect illusion I'm keeping alive to push people away. A defense mechanism.

 

[NathanielWingatePeaslee]

I've never had a friendship with the level of closeness that makes friendship valuable to me. But in my head, it seems wonderful. Since I've never experienced it, I have to wonder if it exists or if it's this perfect illusion I'm keeping alive to push people away. A defense mechanism.

Real friendships take work to maintain, and there are ups and downs. It's worth it in the end though, and while you have to end up accepting someone's flaws you have to keep in mind you have flaws of your own.

My two good friends in person I've had for more than 20 years, and there have been points years past where I wasn't on speaking terms with either of them. We worked it out, though, and we've all done some growing up since then.

 

[Minty]

Real friendships take work to maintain, and there are ups and downs. It's worth it in the end though, and while you have to end up accepting someone's flaws you have to keep in mind you have flaws of your own.

My two good friends in person I've had for more than 20 years, and there have been points years past where I wasn't on speaking terms with either of them. We worked it out, though, and we've all done some growing up since then.

I have more flaws than them, I think. :|
It's never been a matter of acceptance. The problem lies in the fact that I can't relate to them. I don't feel connected. My anxiety prevents me from opening up and getting them to understand me. I have a knack for knowing people for years and still keeping them at an arm's distance despite the intense experiences we've gone through together.

 

[MaliceInWickedland]

Friendship is very precious to me. Sadly, I don't know anyone at the moment who I can call a true friend. Ever since I graduated from high school 2 months ago, it seems like all my friends have been drifting away and changing for the worst save two people who have remained true to themselves, but whom of which I rarely ever see anymore and one currently living all the way in Ohio after he moved from here a few years ago... I think it's safe to say that for the time being, I have no true friends near me.

 

[Srijita52]

I like spending time alone so I guess I don't see my friends as much as I should,I still need them though.I share everything with them except for my SA cos none of them can really relate to it.