How do you make friends and keep them? Genuine question

Please don’t let this get buried- I really need some advice, thanks.

This is my first post ever, so I don’t really know how this all works, but I didn’t know where else to turn to. So here goes.

I (23F) don’t have any friends. It sounds exaggerated but it’s the truth. I don’t know how to make actual friends and not just acquaintances. I never learnt how socialising works as a kid. I’ve had some friends throughout my teen years, but they never stuck. The only person I talk to is my ex boyfriend - who is my best friend and I love him so much (platonically ofc) but for some reason people just don’t like me. I really try, so hard, but it’s like everyone has a secret agreement not to befriend me.

I don’t talk too much about myself, I ask questions - and not just for conversation, but because I’m genuinely interested in what people say - I am friendly, open minded, loyal, supportive etc. I really don’t know why I can’t make friends and it really feels like no one likes me. I usually feel like I click with many of the people I meet, wether it be from school, work or just socialising in general, and I always keep up hope that there’s someone out there who will like me. It just seems like there’s something wrong with me honestly. And I know appearance is a big one in these cases, unfortunately, so just for context; I’m 5’8, 120lbs, brown long hair (down to my butt), have some tattoos and piercings but a very normal amount and location for my area and country- what I’m trying to illustrate is that I’m as normal as it gets as far as appearance goes. I do have adhd so my thinking is that maybe that could have something to do with that?

Also just a side note my best friend thinks it’s because people are intimidated by me and my family thinks it’s because people are jealous of me but in both of those cases I don’t see the reason. It’s not like I am rich and famous, it’s quite the opposite actually. So I don’t know what the reason could be and how to fix it. I just want a normal life with friends I can have fun with like everyone else. Please help me

tl;dr I don’t know how to make friends and I need advice

Submitted July 27, 2022 at 05:18PM by AcademicBlueberry22 https://ift.tt/4Uf62cp