"If you've ever consumed any media, you would be forgiven for thinking that life after 35 is a burning wasteland of unimaginable horrors: the beginnings of incessant back pain, an interest in dishwasher loading, the discovery that you're ineligible for entire industries billed as a young person's game, and, apparently, an inability to make friends. It becomes harder to make friends as you get older, goes the adage, and indeed, 69% of people in a US survey by Talker Research agree that making close friends becomes more difficult as you age."
"Research shows that it takes about 200 hours of contact to form a close friendship and, according to psychotherapist Kaytee Gillis, that kind of dedicated time evaporates in adulthood. Unlike in childhood, where free time is abundant and social interactions are woven into the fabric of everyday life, she writes, adults often have to actively carve out time for social activities amid their busy schedules."
"I crashed into my mid-30s unprepared for a dramatic shift in my social life. My social diary contained gaping weekend-sized holes, where once, in my roaring 20s, it had been full to the brim with after-work drinks, brunches, lunches, birthday parties, and nights out for no reason other than it was Saturday (or Friday, or Thursday, or Wednesday )."
Three new friends meet after a year of separate lives, demonstrating that adult friendships can form quickly. Many people believe friendship formation becomes harder with age; a US survey found 69% agree. Research indicates approximately 200 hours of contact are needed to build a close friendship, and dedicated time for socialising often disappears in adulthood. Childhood routines once embedded social interaction, while adults must actively carve out time amid busy schedules. An increasing sense of disconnection and a recognised loneliness epidemic compound difficulties, yet deliberate effort can still create a satisfying social network.
Read at www.theguardian.com
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