Hi there,

People can feel lonely for all kinds of reasons. You might still feel lonely even when you’ve got people around you, especially when you don’t feel close to others. It’s never selfish to feel lonely or to want to feel more connected to people.

Everyone’s social life looks different and there's nothing wrong with wanting more friends or to be closer to people. Sometimes you’ll need to be the one who takes the first step, and that can feel hard at first. To start with, try to think about one or two people you’d like to be closer to and make an effort to start messaging them after school or arranging for things to do together.

It’s natural to question how people feel about you sometimes, especially if you’re not feeling confident. Making time each day to build your own self-esteem can make it easier to accept that other people see you positively. Building your confidence can take time, but there are ways to get started.

It sounds like you care a lot about your closest friend. It’s natural for friendships to grow and change, but that can also feel scary when you’re struggling in other parts of your life.

Sometimes it can help to share how you’re feeling with your friend, or even try to get involved with new friends in her life too. Making time to do things together can help you to feel more secure in your friendship.

You’re not alone in how you’re feeling. When you’re struggling to talk to people in your life, Childline can be a great place to get support. 

Take care,

Sam