# How many friends does the average man/woman have?



## Milkdrops (Oct 27, 2006)

Just a question reall that i'd be curious to know the answer on.

How many true friends does the average young man/woman have? I in general mean anyone between 18 and 30 possibly. 

I have heard a saying that goes: "If you have 3 true friends then your rich" is this true? anyone have a rough idea what the average amount of friends is for one person? Your info pls.


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## Tigerlily (Dec 8, 2006)

I read some statistic that the average (non-SA) person has about 2-3 very close friends they can confide in. Since they don't have problems socializing, they probably have a large group of "social friends" (people they party with, chat with in the supermarket line-up, etc) and acquaintances.


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## Farren (Jan 5, 2006)

If shows like Friends or Sex in the City are any indication, 2-4 close friends would be the norm.


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## SAlovesme (Nov 15, 2006)

i got one TRUE friend...but if worst came to worst and the smoke cleared im sure he'd be gone running so i suppose you could put me under zero :yes


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## Razorblade Kiss (Oct 29, 2006)

My theory is if a person has a lot of friends, they're not all real friends. 
I can count the number of true friends I have on one hand, so I'd say 5 or a lil' less...in my case anyway.


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## xanadu (Nov 21, 2006)

yeah most people have anywhere from 2-5 close friends and then tons of acquaintances. say what you will, I wouldn't mind having lots of acquiantances. it's simple: the more people you keep in contact with, the more likely you are to make a connection.


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## skeeter31 (Dec 9, 2006)

Aside from family, I would fall under the 0 category. I get along with people at work, but I don't have a true friend. I used to have 2 friends in High School bu that was a while ago and we've lost touch.


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## Tigerlily (Dec 8, 2006)

Same here, Skeeter. I have a boyfriend but he lives very far away (we communicate on the internet) so although I have someone to confide in, I don't have someone to "hang out" with or anything.


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## homebody (Dec 16, 2006)

I'm with Skeeter and Tigerlily... outside of family I don't have friends. The people I see reguarly are my husband's friends; most of whom I like but never get close to. I consider my best friends to be my sister and my cousin, but for some reason I even shy away from them sometimes. If it weren't for my VERY outgoing husband I'm sure I would be still be living at home and have a very sheltered life. He is most happy and relaxed when he's out and meeting people... and I am only truly happy and relaxed when I am at home in my own little world.


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## refined_rascal (Dec 20, 2005)

I'm not sure the amount of friends you have is what's important. I'd rather have one close friend I know I can rely on, rather than 100 'friends' who I can't.


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## Bon (Dec 24, 2005)

There's about five people in my life, where we know everything and anything about one another, the good, bad, ugly, we know each other's standards, mores, the reason why.........I haven't seen two of these people in a while, but I know they're there, we do keep in contact, they live in another state. 
It took years to develop these friendships, these people are as important to me as my family is. They hurt, I hurt. There's not much I wouldn't do for them and vice versa.


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## Danzaa (Dec 16, 2006)

I personally have lots of friends (but am just out of school and into uni)

But its 101% a case of quality not quantity.
I know people who have lots of friends but couldn't confide in any of them.


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## SunLite (Jan 4, 2005)

Close 2-4 Actual friends and acquantances I couldn't give you a number but the more the merrier. If you can constantly add value to peoples lives this won't matter as everyone you surround yourself with will love being around you.


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## Optimistic (Nov 4, 2006)

That's interesting that you say "true" friends. What does that exactly mean? LIke I said in another thread, I really can't define what a "friend" is. I think most guys are lucky to have one real friend (whatever that really is) outside their relationship with their SO, if they have one.

I basically have a fuzzy definition of friendship. which pretty much includes people who are consistently able to reciprocate and share at a level below the superficial and do so in a genuine and at least a somewhat mature way. I wouldn't call most situational friends "true friends." Co-workers are sometimes friends for the time you are around them. Some people are there if you fill their needs: sex, dope, or money.
They're not true friends. Professionals you see, no matter how friendly they are, aren't true friends. I could go on...

Based on all that, I'm not sure what the avg. is. I think I might have a couple of true friends.


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## Bon (Dec 24, 2005)

*Re: re: How many friends does the average man/woman have?*



Optimistic said:


> That's interesting that you say "true" friends. What does that exactly mean? LIke I said in another thread, I really can't define what a "friend" is. I think most guys are lucky to have one real friend (whatever that really is) outside their relationship with their SO, if they have one.
> 
> I basically have a fuzzy definition of friendship. which pretty much includes people who are consistently able to reciprocate and share at a level below the superficial and do so in a genuine and at least a somewhat mature way. I wouldn't call most situational friends "true friends." Co-workers are sometimes friends for the time you are around them. Some people are there if you fill their needs: sex, dope, or money.
> They're not true friends. Professionals you see, no matter how friendly they are, aren't true friends. I could go on...
> ...


For me, and those around me (friends) hard to sum up, mutual respect, understand, we would, and have given our last dollar to one another without the other knowing, if one of us is in trouble, we don't wait to see what we can do, we just act. We are on a level, where "Sparks, what the hell are you doing, what are you thinking" "I don't understand, but if this is what you want to do" and vice versa. We let each other know, we're there, through thick and thin. Support, we know if we get stranded someplace we can call the other person, we know if someone ends up in the hospital, we're going to be there. We speak up, when sometimes it's hard to speak up, and the other person understands why, and there are no hard feelings. Nuances I could never, ever explain.


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## teknerd (Mar 10, 2011)

*Wow.. I thought I was the only one*

Wow, after reading some of these posts I dont feel so abnormal. It seems like a lot of people I know have tons of friends and after doing some reading I realized that most people only have one or two close friends. I am one of those that have zero close friends and I have been struggling with the whole concept that maybe Im just some kind of jerk and that is why I dont have friends. I see now that many of you here are like me. Your probably very good and kind people but you just dont have the friends. I sometimes feel lonely because of this, but I am married and we have a very small circle of friends that we do things with, but I dont consider any of them 'close'.


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## Kon (Oct 21, 2010)

"According to a study documented in the June 2006 issue of the journal _American Sociological Review_, Americans are thought to be suffering a loss in the quality and quantity of close friendships since at least 1985.[2][3] The study states 25% of Americans have no close confidants, and the average total number of confidants per citizen has dropped from four to two."

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Friendship


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## IcemanKilmer (Feb 20, 2011)

Kon said:


> "According to a study documented in the June 2006 issue of the journal _American Sociological Review_, Americans are thought to be suffering a loss in the quality and quantity of close friendships since at least 1985.[2][3] The study states 25% of Americans have no close confidants, and the average total number of confidants per citizen has dropped from four to two."
> 
> http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Friendship


That's depressing. Good info though.


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## sdsm (Mar 4, 2011)

I have 3 true friends, one of them being who I pour my heart out to...which I have only been able to do so recently at a much older age. Basically have been carrying a lot of s**t with me for a long time!


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## Ape in space (May 31, 2010)

I'd be content just to have one untrue friend.

Or if I could, by some miracle, get a girlfriend, that would be good enough for me; no need for more than that.


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