About Us

Loneliness has become a significant problem in the United States. Recent studies and surveys put about one in five people reporting that they were "frequently" or "always" lonely, with some age groups upwards of three in ten. In addition to that, one in two adults are reported to be living with measurable levels of loneliness. The problem has become so pervasive that in 2023 the Surgeon General identified it in a report as a significant public health crisis, which could be compared to obesity and smoking in terms of the negative effects on people's bodies and minds. It has even been associated with a higher likelihood of premature death, comparable to smoking 15 cigarettes daily.

We get it. The prospect of interacting with new people can maybe seem risky and possibly even overwhelming. It can be incredibly easy and tempting to withdraw into isolation. The important thing to remember is that while this world can definitely be difficult, going at it alone is even more difficult. We're wired to socialize, whether it's on a small scale or a larger group. By not using that portion of our minds, it begins to atrophy like any other muscle, and becomes harder to use. One study even showed that the human brain can physically shrink with social isolation.

Even if someone isn't physically alone, and is maybe even surrounded by other people, they can still easily feel isolated. And that makes sense when you think about it - The people in our lives tend to be people of convenience. Neighbors, people from work, friends of friends, people that we meet through a shared interest. We choose from the people immediately available to us, because we sometimes fear that it will be them or nobody. So we try to do the best we can with the people that we have.

So many of the avenues designed for helping people find groups now are designed to help people find others with similar interests. And there is definitely nothing wrong with that. But that system is designed to find people with similar interests as a starting point, and then let you hope you find someone that you're compatible with. We're doing it the other way around. Find the people you're compatible with, and then go from there.

That is why after spending years volunteering in crisis and trauma intervention, we wanted to develop a system designed to help people find the people find their people. To find their community of friends who are actually like them. To find THEIR people. So why not take a chance? There's nothing to lose, and a lot of potentially amazing things to gain.

Have questions? Just want to talk to someone? Email us at questions (at) thefrienddepartment.com. Ready to get started? Click Sign Up below!