How do you define "friend"

MNM322

Well-known member
It can mean so many things these days... some kids will say "mom I made a new friend in school today" after just talking to the person a day... or someone will say "hey friend, how are you?" to someone online, they never met a day in their life. what does a friend mean to you.... do you have many "friends"? is it a term you separate as well... such as "good friends" or "best friends" and how do you define them if so
 

Entangled

Well-known member
funny-real-friends-greeting-card.jpg


Well at least that's how my friends work :p
Who I consider a friend is someone I can be comfortable being myself around and can talk to them without any anxiety.
 

jryden

Well-known member
I dont have any friends.

In my mind a friend is someone within my age range that I can talk to/hangout with. Someone who I have something in common with.
I can separate friends by online, real life etc
I cant meet someone and call them a friend after one day. Kids do that lol My little sister makes a new friend almost everyday just by saying one thing to them.

*They dont have to be within my age range but its easier that way.
 
I think a workable definition would be that a friend is something you might never have, and a friend is something you might never be.

Then you can instead work on what you think are good qualities in any such "friendship", and you have a way out of getting hurt, because you will always keep the option open that you might not be friends at all.
 
I would consider a friend someone I don't worry about saying crazy **** around. The darndest kinds of things pop into my mind and if I'm around someone I am comfortable around and who I can trust, it makes it really fun and fulfilling.
 

Hellhound

Super Moderator
To me, a friend is someone you've known for a long time and you're really close with, like a family member. Someone who doesn't judge and accepts you for who you are. Someone who treats you like a human being and doesn't use or abuse you in any ways.
 

laure15

Well-known member
To me, a friend is someone you've known for a long time and you're really close with, like a family member. Someone who doesn't judge and accepts you for who you are. Someone who treats you like a human being and doesn't use or abuse you in any ways.

And someone whom I can count on in both good and bad times.
 

21NZ

Well-known member
As long as they consider me a friend, i consider them a friend. there heaps of different kinds of friendships :)
 

WeirdyMcGee

Well-known member
Anyone I am friendly with is a 'friend'; so pretty much everyone.
I don't really trust anyone or speak to anyone regularly-- or hang out with anyone ever, though.
So, I suppose I have no friends-- just acquaintances.

My 'best friend' is a friend whom I'll talk about most things with and maybe see/hang out with once a year.
 

EscapeArtist

Well-known member
Somebody who you love and loves you back. There's also some mutual energy that you share with them enough to trust them to help you through hard times and share good times, and believe in you. This happening both ways, of course. And I think you also need to share time together on some semi regular basis so you feel like eachothers' presence is familiar.

...really hard thing to define. Usually I define somebody as a friend after they seem like we have some special connection that feels like a brother or sister. Anybody below that is an acquaintance or pal or beautiful-soul-who-i-totally-want-to-get-closer-to
 
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EscapeArtist

Well-known member
"friend" to me is someone not related to me that I love.

Yeah, this is the simplist and best explanation. Because 'love' is self explanatory, for instance somebody could say, what if they don't love you back? Well, then would you still love them (as a friend or as family...) if they didn't love you back? Probably not... Relationships work that way beacuse there is hope they will love you someday, but friendship doesn't work like that ;/ So that's the best description IMO
 
for me , a real friend would be defined as:

*someone who listens, and is honest with you
*someone who won't let you down
*someone who cares about your problems and luck
*someone who is interested in your life and vice versa
*someone who is not neglecting your contact and will stay updated
*someone who is trustworthy and you can talk to very well
*someone who shares common interests or if not wants to share
*and all, a friend who accepts you, and vice versa :)

that is for me a real friend
 

Hoppy

Well-known member
Not my idea, but I read it somewhere.

A friend is someone you have just met. Afterwards you can move them into different areas.
ex-friends if you don't see them again.
friends if you see them seldom
bad friends if you don't want to see them again.
And true friends if they turn out that way.
 

Lea

Banned
Just a friend *shrug*. Whoever they are, but I think some people have exchaggerated expectations of friends, like they never fail and will be always here for you whenever you need them, never make any mistakes, never let you down.. I think few people are infallible, they not always manage to be perfect friends.. I am not perfect myself.. like not always manage to write back in time, sometimes because I am too down or too busy or tired or so.. it would feel stiffling if people would dismiss me at the slightest mistake as not being a proper friend. There are people though who are downright cheeky or rude and take advantage or your "friendship", while in fact they don´t give a crap about you, that´s obviously not right and I wouldn´t consider them as friends.
 

MNM322

Well-known member
My aunt was saying nowdays, this word means so many things, like the word "love" she says you can sign a card "love" and then your name but it does not mean you are in love with the person etc....

I think that all animals are my "friends" ha! I feel I have more "friends" online than in reality. Once people meet me, things seem to change. I knew this girl for over 6 years online, we got on great, I went to meet her and this April, we stopped talking. Everything just went south. I am horrible at keeping "friends" but I seem to be ok at making them, that is... if I even know what friend means
 

Section_31

Well-known member
This is so wierd for me....

IRL, i have no real "friends", save for a few family members..... There are people i KNOW, and sure i may be on good terms with them, but we arent friends. Maybe good neighbours, ect....

Strangely enough i feel way more connected with everyon here than i have with anyone else. i consider each and every one of you on here a very good friend, maybe its because we all have similiar issues that we face as a whole?. I dont know.....


That was a very confused answer...
 

Chess

Well-known member
I define a friend as anyone I feel a connection to and feel secure talking to about my personal thoughts and feelings. Levels of trust and closeness (and the subjects of) are unique to individual relationships.

I try not to get too particular or demanding, because all human beings are inherently flawed and looking for a flawless gem keeps many fine (but flawed) gems from developing with a little nurturing. Strengths and weaknesses vary not even from individual to individual but between individuals.
 

Daniel089

Well-known member
I always define friend as someone who I hang out with, who I share anything with that's on my mind, who always understands me and is always there for me. I don't have this kind of relation to anyone, AKA I don't have friends. Just people I know from work, uni, etc... Of course I can tell them anything or at least more parts of my life if I want, but I feel they're not kind of people (which maybe is bullsh*t) so I'm just not giving a try.
 
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