How do you feel about online friendships? Are they the same as in person friendships? Do they make a significant contribution to your life? Do you avoid them?

I have online friends that I feel close to. When we talk Online, it's like having a coffee in person. I laugh and cry depending on the mood. I feel like I can reach out and hopefully they feel the same.

I do have amazing in person friends as well. In the end though if I call you my friend online or in person, I value you.

How do you feel about online friends?

[divine1966]

I don’t have online friends. Only irl. Now some of my friends ended up living in
Different countries so most of our communication now happens online or phone because we can’t see each other often. Other friends I know in my regular life. I can’t imagine being friends with people I have never met

[katydid777]

I have both, and I think it is great. When I don't want to go out, I can ether talk to my online friends, or call one of the few regular friends if I can catch them home, or not busy.

[~Christina]

I have some online friends that I doubt I’ll ever meet due to being in other countries

Are they real ? Yes of course.

Having Bipolar together helps me to reach out for help to someone that knows exactly how I think and feel.

One from Cape Town South Africa actually saved my life after I talked about Xanax I took and she tracked down my husband , he was out working and he came home in a rush.

Yes I have online friends.

I also have friends I can physically touch they are great, they just cant understand Bipolar like my Bipolar friends do.

I don’t burden my friends in life with my Bipolar bullshytt.

Originally Posted by divine1966

I don’t have online friends. Only irl. Now some of my friends ended up living in
Different countries so most of our communication now happens online or phone because we can’t see each other often. Other friends I know in my regular life. I can’t imagine being friends with people I have never met

Interesting perspective. I met a friend online when I was 17 on a chat site. We met in person as he lived close and have been friends for almost 20 years.

Can I ask why? I've done video chats and phone calls with some of them. Pretty much the same as in person. I have friends all over the world and it's incredibly cool when we talk about native animals, terrain, slang words, culture, etc. It's a world of amazing people.

[divine1966]

Originally Posted by TheSadGirl

Interesting perspective. I met a friend online when I was 17 on a chat site. We met in person as he lived close and have been friends for almost 20 years.

Can I ask why? I've done video chats and phone calls with some of them. Pretty much the same as in person. I have friends all over the world and it's incredibly cool when we talk about native animals, terrain, slang words, culture, etc. It's a world of amazing people.

I don’t have a particular answer. I don’t understand your question actually. You make it sound as having online friends is a requirement or not having them is some kind of deficiency. Is that something people have to have?

I have ton of friends, family, husband, kid, stepkids, niece and nephews, hobbies, career, travel regularly, I belong to various organizations, volunteer etc I have a very busy life.

Yes I have friends who live in other countries because either I or they end up moving. We keep in touch regularly and at times when one of us travels overseas we manage to meet, but not that often.

I do understand other cultures and world being an amazing place. I am trilingual, fluently speak all three, i lived in two countries, I travelled to 20 countries (several of them way more than once) and travelled around about half of the US. And I continue to travel

You make it sound like not having online friends make me somehow stuck in a mud or not understand amazinglness of this world?

Perhaps I misunderstand

Originally Posted by divine1966

I don’t have a particular answer. I don’t understand your question actually. You make it sound as having online friends is a requirement or not having them is some kind of deficiency. Is that something people have to have?

I have ton of friends, family, husband, kid, stepkids, niece and nephews, hobbies, career, travel regularly, I belong to various organizations, volunteer etc I have a very busy life.

Yes I have friends who live in other countries because either I or they end up moving. We keep in touch regularly and at times when one of us travels overseas we manage to meet, but not that often.

I do understand other cultures and world being an amazing place. I am trilingual, fluently speak all three, i lived in two countries, I travelled to 20 countries (several of them way more than once) and travelled around about half of the US. You make it sound like not having online friends make me somehow stuck in a mud or not understand amazinglness of this world?

Perhaps I misunderstand

Totally not my intention. I like hearing other people's point of view. I was just sharing some of the reasons I love my online friends.

There is nothing wrong with not having them. I was just curious why it wasn't for you.

No judgement. Just curiosity.

[Shazerac]

I have online friends for years that i’ve never met in person. Then there’s my husband. I met him 15 years ago online and we’ve been married for 10 years.

[divine1966]

Originally Posted by TheSadGirl

Totally not my intention. I like hearing other people's point of view. I was just sharing some of the reasons I love my online friends.

There is nothing wrong with not having them. I was just curious why it wasn't for you.

No judgement. Just curiosity.

It’s not that it’s “not for me”. It’s just there is no need or time for it in my life. I can barely fit everything into my busy life as it is.

As about other cultures not only I travel A LOT, a lot of my friends live in other countries, we talk about each other’s surrounding including things like native animals (your example). These are people I know. Perhaps if I didn’t travel or didn’t know people living in other cultures, I’d have online friends to learn all that.

I am not against online friendships, I just don’t have it. I sometimes feel i neglect people I do know because there are only 24 hours in a day! I can’t imagine justifying looking for online friends.

Originally Posted by divine1966

It’s not that it’s “not for me”. It’s just there is no need or time for it in my life. I can barely fit everything into my busy life as it is.

As about other cultures not only I travel A LOT, a lot of my friends live in other countries, we talk about each other’s surrounding including things like native animals (your example). These are people I know. Perhaps if I didn’t travel or didn’t know people living in other cultures, I’d have online friends to learn all that.

I am not against online friendships, I just don’t have it. I sometimes feel i neglect people I do know because there are only 24 hours in a day! I can’t imagine justifying looking for online friends.

Thanks for taking the time to answer. That completely makes sense.

I have a few people on here who I really appreciate (they know who they are), they can understand my mh issues and I theirs - I don't have that level of understanding in real life. They are very dear to me, but I do feel online friendships are more fragile than ones face to face, it is easier to drop out of each others lives and it's not like we'll bump into each other.

It's different for sure but all friendships are special and to be treasured.

I have more online friends than offline friends.

[cool09]

I don't have any friends. I have 1 online friend whom I've known for 25 years. I talk about my problems with her because that's all I have. Guess that's a real turnoff.

[Loose Screw x 2]

I think online friends can be great and especially with people who like to open up and be completely honest and that is a lot easier to do from behind a keyboard or texting than it is to do in person for a lot of us.
That's not to say that I don't talk to people in person and state my opinion about things and take part in friendly conversation. In fact I do that as well but, it's much easier online because you are not concerned about your body language or facial expressions or distracted by the other persons expressions and stuff so, I feel like online friendships are a good way to get to know someone at a slower pace and get an idea of what they may be like in person so, you will know what to expect if you should ever meet them.
I am also effected very emotionally by online friends and when I know that they hurt over something I hurt as well.

Originally Posted by cool09

I don't have any friends. I have 1 online friend whom I've known for 25 years. I talk about my problems with her because that's all I have. Guess that's a real turnoff.

Add me as a friend if you want. I like talking to new people.

Originally Posted by Loose Screw x 2

I think online friends can be great and especially with people who like to open up and be completely honest and that is a lot easier to do from behind a keyboard or texting than it is to do in person for a lot of us.
That's not to say that I don't talk to people in person and state my opinion about things and take part in friendly conversation. In fact I do that as well but, it's much easier online because you are not concerned about your body language or facial expressions or distracted by the other persons expressions and stuff so, I feel like online friendships are a good way to get to know someone at a slower pace and get an idea of what they may be like in person so, you will know what to expect if you should ever meet them.
I am also effected very emotionally by online friends and when I know that they hurt over something I hurt as well.

You are an online friend that I value. A great person.

[seesaw]

I have online friends who I have gotten to know really well through the internet. Some of them I have had the opportunity to meet in person, others I have not. But I consider them good friends regardless of meeting physically or not. The ones I'm referring to will take my phone call when I'm low or come to chat if I text them and need support.

There are other people who are just acquaintances. I don't know them too well, but we communicate. They may become friends over time.

Then there are just people who happen to be at the same place at the same time with me online.

Not everyone I meet online becomes a true friend. And that's okay.

Seesaw

[Patagonia]

I do not have any real life friends.

I used to have online friends, one from here that lasted 5 yrs but just vanished one day.

I do talk to people more online bec it’s easier for me, but it’s also very easy for people to walk away when their online. Especially here. Several people I used to talk to a lot that just disappeared. No idea what happened to them. So I figure they moved on, died or lost internet connection, whatever it is they didn’t value the friendship as much as I did & the connection was not important to them obviously.

So I put myself out there less & less. I’m not an idiot & I don’t enjoy being “ghosted.” And I’m getting very used to being alone.

[FallDuskTrain]

Friendship is a very sacred connection. It can be formed online or in real life or via snail mail (yes, i do have one person with whom I have been exchanging letters since 2001).
Once I call you my friend (which does not happen often), I am your loyal fan and cheer leader with no expiration date. Location or physicality are very minor details.

[lizardlady]

I have both online and IRL friends. I value both equally.

Originally Posted by FallDuskTrain

Friendship is a very sacred connection. It can be formed online or in real life or via snail mail (yes, i do have one person with whom I have been exchanging letters since 2001).
Once I call you my friend (which does not happen often), I am your loyal fan and cheer leader with no expiration date. Location or physicality are very minor details.

I absolutely love your response. Made me smile.

[Shazerac]

Originally Posted by Patagonia

I do not have any real life friends.

I used to have online friends, one from here that lasted 5 yrs but just vanished one day.

I do talk to people more online bec it’s easier for me, but it’s also very easy for people to walk away when their online. Especially here. Several people I used to talk to a lot that just disappeared. No idea what happened to them. So I figure they moved on, died or lost internet connection, whatever it is they didn’t value the friendship as much as I did & the connection was not important to them obviously.

So I put myself out there less & less. I’m not an idiot & I don’t enjoy being “ghosted.” And I’m getting very used to being alone.

I hear you. It sucks to get ghosted. Some people don’t take online relationships seriously. I’m sorry that happened to you. One of the problems with online friends is that there is no other way to communicate if things change. I’ve probably ghosted friends that I had from being an avid gamer. If I get in a bad place emotionally or just get tired of that game ...well then I’m gone. I to try contact friends and tell them I’m taking a break or moving on, But I don’t always succeed. I’ve probably hurt people by doing this and I feel bad about that.

[Shazerac]

Originally Posted by cool09

I don't have any friends. I have 1 online friend whom I've known for 25 years. I talk about my problems with her because that's all I have. Guess that's a real turnoff.

That’s not a turn off that’s just the way you are. Don’t beat yourself up for not having friends. I would be happy to be your friend here at PC. I can’t compete with someone who has been your friend for 25 years, but I’m always happy to have a new chat buddy.

[Emotionally Dead]

It depends on the online friend, but an online friend can be just as valuable to me as a real life friend, depending on the person and how close we are. I have met online friends, including one where I was involved in an online relationship. You obviously have to be more careful with friends online, as they may not always be who they say they are. I have had those experiences as well, but there are usually signs you can read in that case. I would say that the majority of the time, people online are more/less who they say they are.

[K12PCB]

I met my wife online, through a music forum, we just celebrated 10 years of marriage and had a party in San Diego in which 40 or so friends we all met online attended.

We have built friendships that go far beyond the idea of online in to real love and connection.