Bipolar Disorder Support Group

Bipolar disorder is not just a single disorder, but a category of mood disorders marked by periods of abnormally high energy and euphoria, often accompanied by bouts of clinical depression. This is the place to talk about your experience with bipolar disorder, learn from others' experiences, and find support.

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What makes a friend?

VoltaireArcane
VoltaireArcane
For the first time in years I feel like I honestly have basically no friends, online or offline. I'm very isolated and reclusive and as much as I'd like to find "empowerment" in claiming I've become this way by choice, that's not the truth, and it's a very long stretch to claim. It takes balls to play the lone wolf card, and my ego's just not strong enough for that kind of charade anymore.

So the question is this- What even makes a person a "friend"? How does a person make friends? I'm feeling very socially inept as I honestly find difficulty in answering this.
Community LeaderSunCloudJD
SunCloudJD
I have social anxiety so I don't have a lot of people in my life either.... I do try to be there for others in my limited way however I tend to be reclusive...

I've seen quite of few people on here with a social anxiety ...So I guess I'm not too helpful other then to say you aren't alone... Big hug of comfort for you..x
joneszy93
joneszy93
I've tended to veer away from my friends as well, but I do still have some that I try to keep close. To me, a friend is someone who is there for when no else is. Who you can talk to about pretty much anything. When I've made friends, I seem to make friends with people who I have something in common with them, which helps give us something to talk about.
Halterbroke
Halterbroke
I don't have many friends, My best friend lives and hour and a half away and I drifted away from my other friends when they had babies. I am struggling with infertility now and I don't have anything in common with them, lots of heartbreak and sadness on this side and lots of other friends who are also mommies and can talk about kid stuff, on the other side.

My husband is my closest friend, I can tell him anything I am thinking and feeling and he is always, always, always supportive. That's what I get from my best female friend too, lots of support. We just understand each other. Someone said "it takes a friend to be a friend" (no idea who) and I find that is true. If it's at all one-sided it doesn't work out well. I have had to cut some draining, negative people out of my life and I am so much better for it, even though I now have fewer friends.

I suggest looking for things you enjoy and meeting people that way, as then you have something in common. I go to a ladies' book club and a wine club now and have met people I really like that way (but I am shy and it takes time). You will meet some great people on here - it's how I met my bestie!
SensitiveHoboLady
SensitiveHoboLady
I have acquaintances...but Good Friends have been hard to locate. Being able to disclose that I live with mental illness to a new person I meet would signify and start a new friendship potentially. But I haven't really bumped into anyone whom I could confide in.

Halter, I completely understand the friends with kids thing. It's hard.
pumpkinpumpkin
pumpkinpumpkin
There are a lot of articles if you Google "making friends".
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