How to Live Without Friends During School Years
Consider the reasons why you do not have friendships., Accept yourself the way you are., Decide if you even want to be more social or not., Consider whether you might have social anxiety or another condition., See a counselor or therapist.
Step-by-Step Guide
-
Step 1: Consider the reasons why you do not have friendships.
Not having friends may be from a variety of different causes.
Take some time to consider your reasons.
Also, keep in mind that you can choose to change your situation and seek out friends if you want.
Some questions you might ask yourself to determine the reason why you don’t have friends at the moment include:
Have you undergone a significant change recently? Going away to college or moving to a new city can be part of the reason why you may not yet have friends.
Likewise, having a falling out with friends can lead to isolation.
Did you recently lose a friend or group of friends for some reason? Are you naturally introverted? If you tend to prefer your alone time to spending time with other people, then you might be an introvert.
If this is the case, then not having friends may be due to a preference for solitude.
However, you can still have friends and maintain your solitude.
Have you been struggling with emotional turmoil lately? If you have been feeling down for a while and unable to motivate yourself to go out and seek friendship, then this could also be part of the reason why you don’t have friends.
If so, it is important to seek help.
Talk to your school counselor, someone in the counseling center at your college, or a trusted adult, such as a parent, teacher, or religious leader. -
Step 2: Accept yourself the way you are.
It is important to accept yourself for who you are right now.
Realize that there’s nothing wrong with you for being shy, different, or just not very social.
Your worth as a person isn’t determined by how many friends you have, so don’t let anyone make you feel bad about yourself.If your peers try to make fun of you, stand up for yourself.
Don’t get into a physical fight, but do let people know you aren’t a pushover.
If you want to make more friends in the future, accepting yourself as you are now is an important first step. , Despite what society and other people might tell you, it’s perfectly okay to prefer spending time by yourself.
There is nothing wrong with being quiet, introverted, and reserved.
If you decide you don’t mind not having close friends, don’t let anyone tell you your preference is wrong.However, keep in mind that being alone all of the time is not healthy either.
You may not want to be as social as other people, but having some degree of socialization is healthy. , If being around people makes you nervous, ask yourself whether social anxiety could be holding you back from making friends.
Other conditions like schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, ADHD, and autism can also make it difficult to befriend others.If you think you have a mental health disorder, ask your parents to take you to a doctor or therapist. , If you feel persistently sad or hopeless, talk to your school counselor or a therapist.
They can help you get to the bottom of your feelings and develop some strategies for coping socially. -
Step 3: Decide if you even want to be more social or not.
-
Step 4: Consider whether you might have social anxiety or another condition.
-
Step 5: See a counselor or therapist.
Detailed Guide
Not having friends may be from a variety of different causes.
Take some time to consider your reasons.
Also, keep in mind that you can choose to change your situation and seek out friends if you want.
Some questions you might ask yourself to determine the reason why you don’t have friends at the moment include:
Have you undergone a significant change recently? Going away to college or moving to a new city can be part of the reason why you may not yet have friends.
Likewise, having a falling out with friends can lead to isolation.
Did you recently lose a friend or group of friends for some reason? Are you naturally introverted? If you tend to prefer your alone time to spending time with other people, then you might be an introvert.
If this is the case, then not having friends may be due to a preference for solitude.
However, you can still have friends and maintain your solitude.
Have you been struggling with emotional turmoil lately? If you have been feeling down for a while and unable to motivate yourself to go out and seek friendship, then this could also be part of the reason why you don’t have friends.
If so, it is important to seek help.
Talk to your school counselor, someone in the counseling center at your college, or a trusted adult, such as a parent, teacher, or religious leader.
It is important to accept yourself for who you are right now.
Realize that there’s nothing wrong with you for being shy, different, or just not very social.
Your worth as a person isn’t determined by how many friends you have, so don’t let anyone make you feel bad about yourself.If your peers try to make fun of you, stand up for yourself.
Don’t get into a physical fight, but do let people know you aren’t a pushover.
If you want to make more friends in the future, accepting yourself as you are now is an important first step. , Despite what society and other people might tell you, it’s perfectly okay to prefer spending time by yourself.
There is nothing wrong with being quiet, introverted, and reserved.
If you decide you don’t mind not having close friends, don’t let anyone tell you your preference is wrong.However, keep in mind that being alone all of the time is not healthy either.
You may not want to be as social as other people, but having some degree of socialization is healthy. , If being around people makes you nervous, ask yourself whether social anxiety could be holding you back from making friends.
Other conditions like schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, ADHD, and autism can also make it difficult to befriend others.If you think you have a mental health disorder, ask your parents to take you to a doctor or therapist. , If you feel persistently sad or hopeless, talk to your school counselor or a therapist.
They can help you get to the bottom of your feelings and develop some strategies for coping socially.
About the Author
Brandon Cook
Dedicated to helping readers learn new skills in organization and beyond.
Rate This Guide
How helpful was this guide? Click to rate: