Am I Doing It Wrong? The Secret To Making Friends As An Adult
Jan 1, 2026
Dr. Marisa G. Franco, a psychologist and author of "Platonic," dives into the challenges of making friends as adults. She discusses the loneliness epidemic, highlighting how technology has shifted our social interactions. Dr. Franco offers tips like using friend-finding apps and suggests initiating conversations with strangers using her 'insight-and-question' method. She emphasizes the importance of intentionality, vulnerability, and scheduling regular meetups to strengthen friendships, making connections more meaningful.
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Loneliness Hits Some Groups Harder
- Loneliness has grown unevenly across groups, hitting marginalized people harder.
- Black, Hispanic, lower-income, less-educated, and disabled people show steeper declines in face-to-face interaction.
Screens Transformed Leisure Into Solitary Time
- Social withdrawal started decades ago and accelerated with screens.
- Smartphones (circa 2012) amplified parasocial substitutes for real social life.
Friendship Is A Powerful Health Factor
- Social connection releases oxytocin and strongly predicts longevity.
- A large, diverse social network boosts lifespan more than diet or exercise alone.