2 min read
Why Making Friends as an Adult Feels So Much Harder
School handed you proximity. Nothing after that does, which makes this a much bigger ask than it sounds.
School handed you proximity. Work barely does, and nothing after that does at all.
It's not that adults are worse at friendship. It's that every structure that used to manufacture it disappeared all at once.
What's left requires actual initiative, repeatedly, with no guaranteed payoff, which is a much bigger ask than it sounds when you're used to closeness just happening.
The fix isn't another app or another group chat. It's picking one relationship and being willing to go first, more than once, before you know if it's worth it.
This article is educational, not a diagnosis or a substitute for therapy. Within uses AI, not a human, and isn't medical or mental health care. If you're in crisis, call or text 988 (US) or reach out to a trusted person.