The male loneliness epidemic and how it affects fathers

[Xavier Breath]

53. I know how you feel.

I'm 56 myself, have always suffered from social anxiety and am basically down to the one buddy. He and I go to movies and sporting events, the things my wife has zero interest in, but he isn't always available and then I either do things by myself or don't do them. I used to have a few more friends but both of them changed jobs and moved back to where they originally came from some years ago. My wife is socially awkward as well and avoids basically all contact with humans outside of work or the rare occasion I get her to attend a family event. So, she doesn't have a network of friends either, and as a result, I can't even have friendships with the husbands of her non-existent female friends, and there are no group get-togethers or vacations or anything like that.

It's ironic about your high school reunion situation, because I've never attended any of mine, and I never give them my address, yet through multiple moves over the years they still keep finding me. It's a smaller school, so they basically invite everyone back every year, and then spotlight the years that are at special time markers (10 years, 25, 40, etc.). I haven't spoken to anyone from high school in many years, and I have no desire to see any of them. It was a rough time for me, and I have no dances, parties or exploits to rehash with anyone, so there's no point in going.