How do you meet people once you're in your 30s?

[Ambivalent1]

I look late 20s but even still, I don't see how to meet anyone. Even if I had a job, I'd just have my
coworkers. There's so many people that i walk past at the store or on the sidewalk who are inaccessible and it sucks. This loneliness is so painful.

 

[Dr Iron Arc]

I wish I had a better answer than just "through your job" or "through hobbies that require you to go outside". It sucks. :/

 

[lovedread]

Probably any type of class bc then a shared interest/discussion topic is already there.

 

[QueerMelancholy]

Most of the friends I have now are much older than me. One of my good friends is a homeless woman in her 40s.

I think being kind helps. There are people out there with nothing but have the kindest hearts. It honestly makes me cry thinking about it.

We pass these people by too. The ones who look dirty, are sleeping on the streets, who scare us. But we never get to know them. They're people too.

 

[InAgony]

I'd suggest you join some clubs/groups... preferably something you're interested in to meet like-minded people. Get to know them a bit and then start inviting them to meet up outside of the club/group to develop the friendship further.

 

[Little_Suzy]

Participate in team sports and hobbies. You will make friends because you devote a significant amount of time to practice, competitions, and invitations to regular social events (weddings, birthdays, dating, etc.).

Try sand volleyball; it attracts a good coed group and requires no experience or equipment to participate.

 

[Ambivalent1]

Most of the friends I have now are much older than me. One of my good friends is a homeless woman in her 40s.

I think being kind helps. There are people out there with nothing but have the kindest hearts. It honestly makes me cry thinking about it.

We pass these people by too. The ones who look dirty, are sleeping on the streets, who scare us. But we never get to know them. They're people too.

How did you meet these friends?

 

[HarryCobean]

Join a club, start a club. It's not worth it, though. People aren't that great.

 

[AmericanMary]

SaSu's NSFW chat room

 

[QueerMelancholy]

How did you meet these friends?

Honestly? I used to spend a lot of time at the local soup kitchen just hanging around and talking to people. I feel like homeless people feel less shame about talking outright and abruptly about themselves so I learned a lot from her and we hit it off.

No beating around the bushes. No mask trading just pure conversation. I've been there so I felt comfortable sharing my own experiences with homelessness and we became good friends. Well as good of friends as we can be to each other we both have bipolar disorder so it's rocky from time to time. But it's nice being kind and feeling like my kindness is doing something for someone else in the real world.

 

[Throwawayacc3]

How did you meet these friends?

I think the right word is "acquaintances" not friends.

Autistic people tend to suffer from even making these acquaintances as we get sucked into people like narcissists which makes things even more difficult.

Your best bet is to not deal with people at all and just deal with animals. It's not the same but I'd take a few bites from a goose because they said no more preening than being gas lit and strung along by a human with ulterior motives. It's way too common now. I actual met someone at the sanctuary who's also autistic (he works there) and he's alright but it's not friends. We have our chats and what we did and what not but that's about it.

 

[sukiduki]

job has been the biggest one for me. also through my existing friends - meeting their other friends. i go to a workout class and i see people become close/friendly through that as well. also heard of people meeting each other through workshops like pottery workshops that hold weekly or monthly sessions.

 

[Cress]

Best advice I can give if you don't have access to school or a place of work is hobbies. Try to join a community group for a hobby that you're really interested in. Generally compatibility and personality types tend to align on certain hobbies. There was a guy that said he joined aquarium and House plant groups on Facebook to find his significant other.