Why do men have few close friends?

According to studies, building and maintaining deep friendships as an adult is difficult, especially for men.

A 2021 survey by the survey center of Americans found that less than half of men are satisfied with friendships. About 20% said they had received emotional support from a friend. Meanwhile, this rate in women is 40%.

Judy Yi-Chung Chu, a psychology lecturer at Stanford University in California, says friendships between men begin to break down in mid and late adolescence and become more pronounced in adulthood. Despite maintaining friendships, men have lower levels of intimacy than women.

Artwork: Stefano Cavoretto/Adobe Stock

Dr. Frank Sileo, a psychologist in Ridgewood, New Jersey, first conducted a study on friendship in 1995, participants thought his survey was about homosexuality. This proves that, in the opinion of many people, "straight" men should not have too intimate relationships.

Today's perception may be different, but social pressures still make it difficult for men to express intimacy with a close friend. Many experts said that social prejudice still makes many people understand that men are cold and tough, and women must be soft and weak. Boys from a young age have been given the message by the people around them that when they grow up, they must be neat and let go of their weakness.

The effort to prove yourself strong, never to appear vulnerable makes men difficult to make friends, lonely, violent, and angry.

If you're looking for a closer or deeper friendship, experts recommend starting small. "Listen and ask sincere questions. Everyone likes to have someone to trust and to have someone who really cares about them," suggests expert Chu.

But most of all, taking the time, effort, and desire to cultivate will deepen any relationship. It is recommended to meet regularly and spend time with friends to build and foster feelings.