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kabir22 profile picture
How to Make Friends After Bullying – Yep, It’s Possible! 🫶
by kabir22
Last post
 November 16th, 2024
...See more Hey lovely people! 🌟 Okay, let's be real for a second—making friends after being bullied can feel like climbing a mountain in flip-flops. 🩴 It’s tough, and sometimes you wonder if you’ll ever reach the top. But guess what? You can, and you will. I’ve got your back with some tips to help you navigate this journey. Let’s dive in, shall we? 1. Start with Self-Acceptance (You’re Amazing, Period) Easier said than done, right? But honestly, you’ve been through something tough, and you owe yourself a bit of love. Take a moment to look in the mirror and say, “I’m worth knowing. I’m worth loving.” Because you are. Spend time doing the things that make you feel you. Whether it’s reading, painting, or watching that same sitcom for the tenth time—do it unapologetically. 2. Find Your Tribe (Safe Spaces, Anyone?) I’m talking about those places where you walk in, and nobody expects you to be anything other than yourself. Maybe it’s a local book club, a hiking group, or an online community where you can geek out about your favorite show. Shared interests make it so much easier to start conversations without all that pressure of impressing someone. Trust me, finding your tribe makes all the difference. 3. Talk About the Little Things (Big Things Come Later) You don't have to start with a TED Talk about your life. Try simple stuff like, “Hey, do you like pineapple on pizza?” 🍍🍕(And if they say yes, well, you’ve just found someone with impeccable taste.) Building friendships can start with these small, light-hearted conversations. 4. Be Honest (But No Need to Spill the Beans Right Away) It’s okay to let people in, but only when you feel comfortable. You don’t owe anyone your whole story, but sharing bits and pieces when you’re ready can help build real connections. It’s like slowly peeling back layers of an onion… except without the tears (hopefully). 5. Set Boundaries Like a Boss 🛑 Listen, you’ve already been through enough. It’s perfectly fine to have boundaries and to stick to them. If you’re not comfortable talking about something, say so. Real friends will respect that, and if they don’t, well, they’re probably not worth the energy. You deserve people who make you feel safe and respected. 6. Explore the Digital Universe (Making Friends Has Never Been So Wi-Fi Friendly) 📱 Online communities can be a lifesaver when meeting people face-to-face feels like scaling Everest. Whether it’s joining a fandom, gaming group, or a forum for your favorite hobby, there’s a whole world out there ready to welcome you with open arms (or, you know, enthusiastic emojis 🤗). 7. Be Kind, Be Yourself, and Be a Little Weird (Seriously, It’s the Best Combo) The most beautiful friendships are built on authenticity. Don’t hide the parts of yourself that you think are “too much” or “too weird.” Love binge-watching cat videos at 2 a.m.? Great. Enjoy talking to your plants? Awesome. The right people will find your quirks endearing, I promise. 8. Remember That Not Everyone’s a Jerk (I Promise) It’s easy to put up walls when you’ve been hurt, but not everyone’s out to break them down. Some people genuinely want to know the real you. Give them a chance—but keep that protective armor handy, just in case. ⚔️ 9. Patience, Grasshopper 🐛 You’re not going to become best friends with someone overnight, and that’s completely okay. Relationships take time to build. Every time you put yourself out there, even if it’s just a little “hello,” you’re making progress. Celebrate those small wins—they matter more than you think. You’ve Got This! 🌈 You’re more than the stuff you’ve been through. You’re resilient, you’re strong, and there’s a world of potential friends out there just waiting to meet you. So take a deep breath, put on that brave face (even if it’s a little wobbly today), and remember—you’re not alone in this journey. We’ve got your back. 💪 Anyone else got tips, stories, or a good pineapple pizza debate to share? 🍍🍕 Let’s hear them! Your voice matters, and who knows, you might just find a friend right here. 💛 ------------------------- Tagging some so this can be used as reference whenever needed - @Hope @ASilentObserver @MelodyoftheOcean @Heartsandrosesandpaws @SparkyGizmo @Sunisshiningandsoareyou @coolvibes @Boon4U
tommy profile picture
Friendship Support Automated Taglist!
by tommy
Last post
 March 19th, 2024
...See more Welcome to the Friendship Support Taglist This thread is an auto-updating list. The list is regularly updated by forum leaders and can be found below. Having issues? Reply below and someone will help you! Why should I join the taglist? ✔ Never miss out on sub-community check-ins, discussions or events ✔ Get tagged and notified by community leaders whenever a new relevant thread has been posted ✔ Become a more active member of the community. What do I need to do? ✅ To add yourself to this taglist, press the Post to Thread button below and write the exact words Please add me. ❌ To remove yourself from this taglist, press the Post to Thread button below and write the exact words Please remove me. ------------------------- Current taglist as of 9 August 2024 (updated by @tommy) @AnimalLover2006 @Bella20 @braveFig6308 @dapperLunch1747 @daydreammemories @Gettingbettertoday @HarmonyBlossom @LucyGray1799 @Ninahdy @OakSerenity @politePeach9642 @raspberry563 @reginalistener18 @spectacularApricot7089 @tidyCurrent1882 @tommy
SoulfullyAButterfly profile picture
Systemic Psychotherapy for Friendship Support
by SoulfullyAButterfly
Last post
 January 23rd, 2024
...See more Are you interested in improving your relationships, understanding yourself better, and developing new skills? If yes, you may be eligible to participate in our study. What is Systemic Therapy? Systemic therapy is a form of psychotherapy that focuses on relationships between people and the patterns of interaction within the systems that impact the well-being of the individuals within the system. Healthy systems are encouraged by seeking balance within the system, as well as working on the roles and relationships involved. What is the Purpose of This Study? The purpose of this study is to explore how systemic psychotherapy-informed growth paths and listener training can help people to achieve personal growth and positive change. We want to understand how participating in the growth path or listener training can affect your relationships, thoughts, behaviour, and feelings, and how your past experiences influence your current patterns, behaviour, and relationships. What Are the Benefits of Participating? By participating in this study, you will: * Learn more about systemic therapy and how it can help you improve your relationships and well-being * Gain insights into your own patterns, behaviour, and feelings, and how they are influenced by your past and present experiences * Develop new skills and techniques * Contribute to research by answering questionnaires How Can You Sign Up? If you are interested in participating in this study, please read the full advertisement and sign-up form here [https://www.7cups.com/forum/siteupdates/SoulfullyAButterflysContentGarden_2136/ResearchParticipationOpportunitySystemicPsychotherapyinformedGrowthPathandListenerTraining_311588/]. We will contact you to confirm your eligibility and provide you with more information. Hurry up, as we have limited time available to participate in this research opportunity!
arossius profile picture
Do you have that one friend you met in the most unexpected way?
by arossius
Last post
 3 hours ago
...See more I'd love to hear your stories of any friends you've met through weird circumstances. I want this thread to serve as a reminder that finding the connections we desire can happen in the most unexpected ways. There are so many opportunities for us to find that person we're looking for, in ways we may not especially be aware of. 💟
Josh44 profile picture
im lost and lonely
by Josh44
Last post
 10 hours ago
...See more I lost my two closest friends in a matter of days after a misunderstanding. They accused me of something I didn't do, and despite explaining my side, they didn't believe me. One of them refused to talk about it, while the other called me narcissistic and chose to distance herself completely. Although I tried to move on, the betrayal has deeply impacted me, leaving me with trust issues that I'm still trying to heal from. Recently, one of them reached out, but it felt superficial, and I'm unsure if I should even re-engage, as I'm not sure if I can trust them anymore. Now, I'm left with a few new friends, but they feel distant, untrusting, or disrespectful, and I don't feel the same depth of connection I once had. I'm struggling with the lack of real, trusting connections, and sometimes, the pain from the past still lingers. I would love to find at least one person that i could have deep talks with them like i had with those two. 
FutureTeacher301 profile picture
Feeling used, problematic friend (Long vent)
by FutureTeacher301
Last post
 17 hours ago
...See more I don't want to be friends with her anymore. She can't stop writing negativism in her messages, claiming that her fanfic has low reads, that no one is interested in her ship, that there's no one of the fandom we are in that wants to talk about her fav character and so on. I always explained to her that numbers are not important, because it is only content that makes YOU happy, and it would be enough to share it with your closest friends and have a joyful conversation. (Besides, let's be honest, you can't pretend a big audience if you write for a dead fandom). However, she doesn't understand. She is always complaining, as if she needs extreme attention, all day. She needs to be validated by everyone saying "oh, but your content is so cute", and so on. I really noticed she has these moments of attention seeker, and this is worrying me, because she might use her social media in not the correct way, complaining and making a fuss over everything. When I can tell she is in one of these episodes, she makes tons of posts of social media. "I am going to delete my blog, no one reads me. No one likes my stuff", and so on... She even spams in a personal *** server we have with other two girls, of course, trying to make us compliment her. Oh, and by the way, she made another server where she apparently invited all her important people. This gave me a huge red flag, because she always pretended people to talk there, all day. Now... You are wondering, if she finally meets someone from the fandom, she will be happy, right? Wrong. She always has a problem. She always talk bad about these people, and she wants me to follow her game. I have no drama with any of these people, yet she just wants spice since someone shares her f/o or it's a friend of one of these someones (hope you understand this part...). I don't want to talk bad about people I never had a beef with, I don't know if she's aware that this is wrong. She finds a problem in every single detail, like "this person never played the games", or "why are they just switching to the most popular characters". This is pissing me off, honestly, because here we go again with her complains... Since she complained a lot that no one arranges a gift exchange dynamic within the fandom we're in, I offered myself to make one. The gifts were presented yesterday - drawings, fanfics and letters. It was so cute. The person who worked on a letter to her asked me a lot about her OC. I can tell this one blud put effort! However, she cried on my DMs saying the letter is too meh, also posting on Bluesky that "the letter she got left her with a bittersweet taste". And when I was on the server with the other two girls, showing the drawing I got in another gift exchange, she quickly appeared, crying that she didn't got one and I was like... ._.? I turned into a clown. Literally I arranged a dynamic for her and she doesn't show a hint of gratitude. (she always complains her gifts, btw. Even if she commissions, she always has a complain. Nothing satisfies her, and the letter fed me up completely) I don't want to be friends with her anymore. I am going to exit the server. If she wants answers, I will tell her everything in the best way possible. There's no way an adult woman is acting like a teenager, seeking attention through victimism. Her harsh past shouldn't let her act like this. I am aware of her past, her traumas, but I don't want to be the one that cheers her up anymore, because she doesn't do the same in the end. We used to joke that she's the extrovert person who adopts the introvert (me), but I think the real thing is "I only pull your strings when I need your validation".
Amymimy2711 profile picture
I always feel left out
by Amymimy2711
Last post
 18 hours ago
...See more Hey, first please forgive any mistakes, English is not my first language. Well I just wanted to vent here and maybe you guys could give me some advice or something. I’ve already moved six times in my life (I’m 16 btw, so yes this is a bit much of times) and I’ve already changed schools six times too. I hate this and there’s nothing I can do about it, I know is necessary. But sometimes that always bothered me is my social life. I have really good social skills, and as a child I decided that I would know everything about every subject (series, movies, anime’s, books, rpg, and etc) so I could have more friends and less stress trying to make friends. It worked, I know how to talk really well and Im definitely not shy, so is really easy to start to know someone, and keep a good conversation with them, don’t matter their age, kid, adults, teens, even older people talk to me sometimes. The real problem is that I have those “friends” but I can’t really be friends with them. I don’t know how to explain, but even though we talk a lot, and I see them everyday, it feels I will never be in their group. I’m the “new friend” “the cool girl” “the nice one” but I’m never the one they look to vent, or get some advice, or call. I’m never the kind of friend you invite for a sleepover and everyone just keep talking about the old times as kids and im always the one who sits quietly and wait till the subject ends. All the parents know each other, and trust each other, but I’m always the “new friend”. They have separate groups and I have none cause I only go to school, and is somehow so annoying. I know that should not bother me but im getting so tired of this. I can’t trust anyone and its so suffocating. And the worst part is that I don’t really let people know me too, is like I’m so used to this thing of “changing city/school-talk to someone-be friends-changing city/schools again” that I just don’t let ppl in. I always feel left out, left behind. Idk how to explain.
Doc12 profile picture
The loss of a group.
by Doc12
Last post
 1 day ago
...See more My name is Doc. Or atleast that's what it is online. I joined 7cups because that's how the suicide hotline suggested I use to talk about my issues. Well here I am and my issue is that recently I lost alot of friends in an argument about loneliness and feeling unwelcome and I guess I broke that wall that I lost them all. There was about 12 or more and I cared and loved them deeply. They were like a second family to me. We played games we did voice acting and played DND. All online of course. I just will miss them deeply and unfortunately I will never see them again. I already struggle with meeting new people and being apart of groups and I really don't know what to do now. Im frankly scared of being alone. I'm scared that I won't find another group or the same thing will happen again. I don't know where to even look. I got lucky with them and now I just feel...afraid.
peaceandblessings profile picture
when all you are is the “therapist friend”
by peaceandblessings
Last post
 1 day ago
...See more i should start sending a bill to these people for using me. i’m so disillusioned with friendships. all i’ve ever wanted and strived for is to have a healthy, natural social life. yet it’s the one thing i can’t seem to ever get. i’ve lost friends time and time again, and just when i think i have finally found my people, the pattern repeats. i notice i have 0 notifs, i reach out first usually all of the time, my messages go ignored, i listen to them and ask about their day, i travel to see them, none of these things are done in return. i give 90% only to get maybe 10% back.  i can’t even feel sad anymore because this is such a common mishap for me, just genuinely frustrated. i don’t want to give my time anymore to people who couldn’t care less about me and if i was okay or in danger. but it’s so weird how it always seems to be the kindest people who are going through something who end up treating me like garbage. like im easily forgotten.  this has happened specifically with like 2 people who i genuinely didn’t even think were superficial but now i seem to be mistaken yet again because i just feel used by them. it wasn’t always like this, but suddenly when im not as easily reached i NEVER hear from them. like… do u not think about me or wonder about me the way i do about u? why is it that i feel like im being a parent to these people? i’m so done. i don’t want to wait anymore for when and IF they decide to change, bc the odds almost always are that they won’t. why should they? they obviously don’t want to talk to me. i thought these were the kind of friends who we’d eventually start calling everyday, we’d be sharing the little things in life. but as soon as we become friends, it’s like we are not even friends anymore. like suddenly it’s back to total strangers.  i feel like i should communicate this to them, but i honestly also think it would just get me nowhere. and a part of me is done with this constant situation. out of love and respect for myself, i’m done and just plain tired of waiting around for people who i deeply love and cherish to give me their attention. it feels like im begging for their consideration when they’re going about their daily lives not even once thinking of me. so much for a “best friend.” once again, i have been used as nothing but a counselor, as a cushion when life was a bit too much that they needed to take it out on someone and then never bother to speak to them again. i just wish i knew what it was like to be wanted, to have people that WANT to hang out with you, to see you, not to use you only when they’re in need and nothing else is there to help. that’s NOT what friendship is supposed to be like, because it only ends up hurting like CRAZY in the end when i realize that they don’t even care about me. i’m sick of being used again and again. i’m a person and i would like to think im worthy of getting to know and going on fun adventures with and experiencing all of life with. i’m a human being not a therapist ai chatbot. all i ask for is for a genuine friendship. isn’t it simple?
Amymimy2711 profile picture
Hey
by Amymimy2711
Last post
 Monday
...See more @Macylou82 im sorry, i had to desapear from our last conversation, we were talking about felling sad seeing other ppl happy (my mom didn’t wanted me in the phone wile i was eating). Well, that feelings are normal and you are not alone, I know that sucks seeing someone being so happy wile you feel like trash, sometimes i feel like this. But also, sometimes is good, knowing one day, you will be (hopefully) one of those happy people who have a great life, I choose to think like that when I start to feel bad about it, even tho sometimes is not fair. I choose to cheer and be happy for them. I hope that you’ll be one of those happy ppl someday, and I’ll be right there cheering for you, and being happy seeing you happy, cause I know you deserve that. lots of hugs 🫂 -Amy
sociableMoon9295 profile picture
The scars.....
by sociableMoon9295
Last post
 Monday
...See more Hi, Myself Social. I am new here. Throughout my whole school life I have suffered from bullying for my dark skin tone. Right now I am in college but feeling stuck and insecure about my past. I have trying to gain self confidence and have some great memories and some great friends after all the things I have experienced. I know I don't trust people easily and don't get them close to me very quickly but I want to have meaning relationships and friendship in my life. Please free to contact. Thanks for reading until now.
turquoiseNest2128 profile picture
Trying to isolate myself
by turquoiseNest2128
Last post
 February 13th
...See more I struggle to control my emotions when it's gets overwhelming and my only coping mechanism is to isolate myself and become outspoken when I am faced with criticism around me. I do listen to what people say a lot and it's affecting me, what hurts the most is that anytime I feel sensitive I tend to retreat when I see that person and they call me immature but I am just trying to set boundaries with people to hurt my feelings with their words, especially not creating that space for them. I also struggled with friends and how they drain me emotionally, most people ask me why I am too sensitive but it hurts that no one understands me, that's why I resort to isolation.
humble101 profile picture
Hi, I'm humble..
by humble101
Last post
 February 13th
...See more I'm new here. I'd love to chat. Nice to meet you.
NoxAuditore profile picture
Hello
by NoxAuditore
Last post
 February 12th
...See more Hi people I’m new here I’ve been trying to find some useful apps to find friends so I might try this one, if someone can please share info about how to use the app or just want to talk to me I’d be glad to hear about anything
Vivikun9 profile picture
Toxic friends affected my whole life
by Vivikun9
Last post
 February 10th
...See more I feel sad that my whole life is been in a cycle of toxic friends and people. It only recently where I finally see the negative people/energy in my life where I feel sad, sick, and just... ashamed. I know it's not my fault but it feels like it is my fault. Like I cursed myself through my own subconscious to not trust people but if I do I will only get hurt. I finally saw after a person I cared about passed away. We used to be friends on *** and we had a issue that will never resolved but as i thought about it more... the lack of communication, I was in a deep state of depression, wanted to branch out as a artist... it when I came to see that I was the only one reaching out, they would tell themselves I'm toxic but now I know that is not the case anymore... I feel stupid, sad, and angry at myself for not being able to stop the cycle of emotional abuse, toxicity, and I allowed myself to be with people like that. I wish it would end but sometimes don't know how

Friendship Support

Welcome to Friendship Support! Friendship is a wonderful thing and here is a place you can celebrate it. Whether you want to share your successful friendships or discuss the relationships which aren’t going so well, this is the place for you. We are a relatively new community so please do not hesitate to reach out to a leader if you have any suggestions or feedback.


What are the different forum topics for Friendship Support?

Community Space: A place for introductions, icebreakers, games, community check-ins and discussions.

Friendship: A place for you to discuss all things related to friendships.


How can I help?

You can help us by simply responding to threads and sharing your story (if you're comfortable). Check-in with us, join a discussion, or start one! Alternatively, you can join us as a Forum Leader. Check out this thread for more information.


Helpful Threads

Taglist: Do you want to stay up to date with our community? Then join our tag list to be notified whenever there is a new discussion or update within the community!


Friendship Support FAQ

Q: Are there any sub-community-specific guidelines that we need to adhere to?

A: You can find Sub-community-specific guidelines below, which you should follow in addition to the general forum guidelines.


Help! I still have a question! 

If you need help, feel free to contact a community leader or post here, and someone will contact you!