It's hard to make friends, I know. I have no one in my life at all.
I'm a total recluse. DS is my only social outlet. Wish I had some
good ideas for you. At least you have your husband, That's a good
thing. Encourage your kids to have friends and they'll be fine.
Big Hugs

Andi, I feel for you, I really you do. I have felt exactly the way you are feeling again and again. It is very hard to make friends. For some, it seems so easy. All I can say is that I have been in therapy for years for this very same issue. Therapy is a good option. 12 Step groups are great where you'll meet a lot of other people who are dealing with life...pretty much everyone seems to know an alcoholic or have an alcoholic in their family...so Al Anon is good. You sound like a really wonderful person. I am sure that there are a lot of people out there who would love to be your friend. Maybe you're barking up the wrong tree...Sometimes it is our perception of ourselves that can be the most damaging. Don't worry about your kids either. They'll be just fine, and you don't need any more worries. Warm regards.

I feel the same way and I've felt this way my whole life, occasionally I make a friend or two but then they always seem to move on and I am usually the one who puts the most effort into the relationship, after awhile I just give up, no one wants to be around you if you seem too needy and desperate. I think you're kids will be fine, my kids seem to be able to make friends easily and adapt well in different social situations even if I struggle with it. It's good that you have your husband and of course you have yourself. Are you happy with yourself, bc if you're not, maybe others are picking up on that? I am working on being happy with who I am so that others can be happy being around me, I don't want to seem negative if that makes sense.

I have also had this problem my whole life. My husband has been the only person I felt I could truly rely on for a long time. I see you are 22. I am 24. My luck only recently started to change in January. My husband and I are enrolled at the local technical college. My husband is much more outgoing than I am. I'm still scared to put myself out there because of my past experiences, but he met two people who have really taken to me and seem to put as much into me as I do into them. So, don't lose hope!

Long distance hugs. Feel free to text me anytime.

i can relate to how you feel, i am gong through i divorce from a cheating spouse, i made bad friend choices earlier in life and i have pretty much told them all they are worthless (most are just alcoholics now) so i am a loner i have my kids most of the time, 5 nights a week but they are 12 and 9 and well dad is not a priority anymore lol i just find myself home alone in front of tv me and the dog, i either watch tv or embrace my inner child playnig video games. but it gets really lonely

once you're an adult, it is a lot harder to make friends. you don't meet people in classes/school anymore like you did as a kid or in college, you don't really go out to bars looking for friends (usually!) once you're married and settled down.
i have the same problem. used to live in chicago where i had a lot of friends and a very active social life. then we moved to a small, rural area. we've lived her 10 years and i have two friends...and really, i'd call them acquaintances more than friends because they aren't reliable, aren't even really nice to me, and are never available unless they need something. so now my life consists of work and keeping myself busy with my hobbies and interests i can do on my own. my husband works 60+ hours a week so we don't really get to do much together, either.
i miss my girlfriends. i miss my gay friends. i miss nights listening to bands at clubs, going shoppping and to movies and museums, daytrips, road trips,etc...
for a very social person, this is a hard way to live. but i'm not about to put myself on craigslist or somethig...so, what can we do? just find happiness in other places, i guess. do things you enjoy. and make friends online. at least you'll have people to talk to when you start to feel too lonely.
whew! done with my ramble!

Me too. I feel like I have put so much effort out there and gotten very little in return. I worry about my son also. He patterns after me and that isn't good. I try to encourage him but with little progress. At least we aren't alone, right?

What really hurt me was when we moved to a New England town and it is very clicquey or however you spell it. It's been hard to make friends here. When I do have someone I sort of click with, the relationship doesn't go to a point where we get invited to parties or anything like that. : (

I feel the same. I have always been the one putting an effort. I go to work then home. My yr old daughter keeps me busy. Im married but its not the same as having a girlfriend. The only social events I go to is kids parties. I see the same circle of people but other than that they dont talk to me despite my efforts in the past. Its depressing.

When I lived in Philadelphia, PA I always had an active social life. After relocating to VA, it was/is quite different. They don't trust "damn Yankees" LOL. I'm living in a nice senior bldg., so I see people all the time. That is a good thing, keeps loneliness at bay. However, I find these women have their clique that doesn't include me. As for the men, they are CATATONIC. Never met so many dull dudes!

Being lonely is a stigma, as if it's our own fault. There must be something wrong with us! Not necessarily. But once we feel lonely we project that to others. They are afraid if they befriend us, we will become a needy "burden" to them.

Concentrate on becoming happy and others will want to share in that happiness. Become the kind of person you would want as a friend. Do not appear over-eager. Remember that these other people are dealing with their own issues. Good luck!

I completely understand as I too feel really lonely. I found a website called xclusivelyou.com and it seems to really understand the loneliness people feel. Its' a friendship site maybe you should give it a go.

Hang in there. Its difficult facing your lonliness. I know - that realisation that there is noone there for you. You have 2 things in your favour. 1. A husband who's present and 2. your child. You will make connections when your child starts school. They may not all be meaningful but there will be a readymade group of people and hopefully you'll have things in common with at least one. You will not fail because you care. You're a busy mum.