Its just a common interest thing , thats just the tip of theiceberg as they say , im sure if you look there are plenty of climbing, walking clubs around you that you could go to and maybe meet a few like minded people . Its still a potluck thing when it comes to friends at best you may get a few good acqaintancies .

I think it's the shared common interest of a particular group. I feel isolated due to social anxiety, I can rationally explain it and how to overcome it. Putting that into action scares the shit out of me. I had a group of friends back in my mid to late 20's who's common interest was smoking weed, we carried that on until life events broke us apart. I haven't had friends like that since. We were very tight. Now I don't know how to do that anymore, so I suppose I have isolated myself by choice and use taking care of my Mom as an excuse to avoid social situations.
The problem is, I long for those social situations. I want to have a group of close friends, or even one or two. Where I live isn't really conducive to the things I am interested in. For example, I set up a chess board in the local park to see if someone would play a game. I sat there for three hours with no players before I gave that up. I fly stunt kites at the same park and invite others to try it with my kites, no takers either, they are afraid of embarrassing themselves. I would set up my telescope for a public outreach, but I doubt anyone will look through it.
So I sit at home and tinker, for instance today I make a bottle cutter from scrap wood, roller skate wheels, an old leveling jack thing and a dremel tool. Works pretty good, too!! Who do I share this build with? No one. If I tell Mom she will forget in a couple of minutes ( she has progressing dementia), so who do I tell?
I really hope moving to a new location may help with this, sort of reinventing myself and leaving the ghosts behind.

Well, you have a friend in me, fyi

Usually through work I’ve made friends. But even then they come and go. Since I was 20 I’ve never had any friends that stuck around. They eventually take off and I never hear from them again.

I have difficulty making friends. I feel that my isolation from others made me weak and barely gets me by in life.

It's definitely part of it.

I think most adults focus on family bonds, seeing their friends on rare occasions.
If you want to make new friends, may I suggest meeting people who share your hobbies.

P.S. I don't feel isolated. I am isolated. Acquaintances are better. Friends are too much work.

Do you have a deep relationship with your spouse. If too personal, don't answer. I understand.

I believe you are so right about that. I think when you strike out to be your own person and think for yourself, unless you are a professor or something, you end up with fewer friends. I also think that we end up with only a handful of real friends and lots of acquaintances.

...not going to church should not make you feel isolated.

Just recently separated and this is what worries me most. I'm not unfriendly, just an introvert with anxiety that over thinks everything.

It never helps that we all work different shifts, different days, and come home to our daily list of house chores. Add a kid or two...
I barely survive on the 24 hours I have.

i always said, 'do the things you enjoy and you will meet folks who you have stuff in common.' easy friends, right? nope. i have essentially stopped going out because i have noticed how alone i am.

I got lucky. I made a lot of friends through scooter/motorcycle communities and when I was bartending.
That said I still feel isolated a lot of the time and stay home most nights.

Find a hobby, go do it, meet like minded people. meetup.com is a good place to start.

Yeah I've always "connected" with similar people/families through . I moved to a new town now, and haven't done the thing and it sucks. I feel ya. I'm 36, 3 kids, and they're basically my only friends right now.

I am joined with the few friends I have first by mutual interests such as sailing, mountain biking, similar political views, and similar tastes in music. What keeps these relationships going is that we not only share experiences but we learn from one another, we help each other realize our goals, we are there for moral and/or practical support when there is a problem. We all can be trusted to do what we say we are going to do. Nobody tries to get over on the other. We respect one another's boundaries. We enjoy one another's company.

It is the fear of permanent death that keeps religion going. It is fueled by fear mongers and financed by greed.

Sort of. I’m generally far too busy with kt and work to socialize.

Extremely. It's really hard to meet like minded people without getting involved in activities that don't really interest you.

At the moment, it's me who's trying to isolate himself.

i never was a shul-goer as i was raised in a secular jewish household. i never knew that social scene. i always felt isolated for a variety of reasons but never thought of religious gatherings as a way out of that, and it probably wouldn't have been, for me, anyway. if you're raised with it, i guess once it's gone, you miss it.

g

How long has it been since you stopped going to church?