IS IT POSSIBLE TO SOLVE THE
MALE LONELINESS PROBLEM?

It’s Worth a Try.

FOUNDER’S NOTE:

Tony Endelman

A SINGULAR MISSION:

DUDEFRIENDS was created with a mission: Put a dent in the male loneliness problem. 

In 2017, the U.S. Surgeon General penned an essay for the Harvard Business Review, in which he declared loneliness a growing health epidemic. He wasn’t wrong. And the problem is getting worse, particularly among men.

Far too many men today are struggling. They are depressed and isolated. They lack community. They are suffering in silence.

There is also lingering stigma around men’s mental health.

DUDEFRIENDS enriches the lives of men by providing them a safe space in which they can converse, connect, and cultivate lasting friendships with other men.

DID YOU KNOW?

15%

Of men SAY THAT THEY DON’T HAVE ANYONE TO TURN TO IN A TIME OF NEED.

2/3

OF YOUNG MEN (Ages 18-23) have SAID that No ONE REALLY KNOWS ME.

1/3

OF MEN SAY THAT THEY EXPERIENCE LONELINESS on a regular basis.

35%

OF MEN SAY that THEIR LONELINESS MAKES THEM DEPRESSED.
  • Male loneliness: the ticking time bomb that’s killing men (Happiness.com)
  • Why are men so lonely? (Los Angeles Times)
  • The male loneliness epidemic and how it affects fathers (CNN)
  • Why a growing number of American men say they are in a ‘friendship recession’ (PBS)
  • Why men are lonelier in America than elsewhere (The Economist)
  • This Man’s Experience Shows How Susceptible Men Are to Severe Loneliness (Men’s Health)
  • How loneliness is killing men (BBC Science Focus)
  • The High Cost of Men’s Loneliness (Psychology Today)
  • FEAR OF VULBERABILITY: There’s a reason male loneliness is often called a “silent epidemic.” Many men are reluctant to talk about their feelings due to a fear of vulnerability. Many men (particularly older men) were told to “just suck it up,” and carried this message into adulthood. But vulnerability does not equate to weakness (and sucking it up doesn’t work).

  • THE LONE WOLF SYNDROME: We used to be communal. We operated within a clan or a tribe. We had to in order to survive. Humans are actually wired for connection. But today, most people are individualistic and don’t actually need a tribe for survival. Men in particular have romanticized the idea of the lone wolf, of going it alone. But a wolf needs its pack. The lone wolf dies.

  • SOCIETAL STIGMAS: Because many men grew up believing they must be perfectly stoic, they end up feeling lonely and depressed later in life. As psychology professor and author Niobe Way – who has extensively researched teenage boys – explains: “Boys know by late adolescence that their close male friendships, and even their emotional acuity, put them at risk of being labeled girly, immature, or gay. Thus, rather than focusing on who they are, they become obsessed with who they are not  —  they are not girls, little boys nor, in the case of heterosexual boys, are they gay.”

  • MARRIAGE: It’s easy to assume that married men are less lonely, but extensive research shows that married men have some of the lowest levels of camaraderie outside their homes. Married men were found to be over 30% more likely than single men to have nobody to turn to in times of need. Marriage often causes men to cut ties with other males.

  • SOCIAL SUBSTITUTIONS: Today, many men replace real human connection with things like social media, video games, television, dating apps, and pornography.

  • SOCIAL ANXIETY: Because men replace real connection with social substitutions, they end up developing social anxiety and isolating themselves. And because they isolate, they exacerbate their social anxiety. It’s a vicious loop.

  • FEAR OF JUDGMENT: Many men say they are more afraid to approach other men than they are women. Many men have a fear of being judged. Will they think I’m weird? Will they make fun of me? Will they think I’m a loser? Will they think I’m gay when I’m really not? These are the kinds of questions that swirl around in the heads of many men. So, they end up talking themselves out of opportunities to cultivate new friendships. But as Tony Lip (played by Viggo Mortensen) said in the movie Green Book, “The world is full of lonely people afraid to make the first move

  • STRESS REDUCTION
  • DECREASED ANXIETY & DEPRESSION
  • ENHANCED MENTAL HEALTH & RESILIENCE
  • BETTER PHYSICAL HEALTH
  • INCREASE IN HEALTHY HABITS
  • HEALTHIER RELATIONSHIPS WITH WOMEN
  • STRONGER MARRIAGES
  • GREATER SENSE OF PURPOSE
  • SUPPORT DURING TIMES OF ADVERSITY
  • ACCOUNTABILITY & SUPPORT
  • MORE FUN

WHAT DUDES ARE SAYING…

“It took me a while just to admit to myself that I was lonely. Sometimes, I would force myself to go to parties and events. But that never really got me the results I wanted. I always felt uncomfortable. I’m not really a party guy. It can just be really hard to meet people. That’s why DUDEFRIENDS is so awesome.”
Shane U.
Peoria, IL
Constantly feeling lonely really sucks. I’m so glad DUDEFRIENDS is a thing. The world needs this. We dudes NEED this.
Graysen H.
Orange County, CA

“I Can’T Explain how much this is needed…

I’ve always wanted a way to comfortably meet other dudes. Making friends as an adult is hard – I think that’s true for men and women. But for some reason, it seems harder for us guys. DUDEFRIENDS is a godsend.
Michael D.
Austin, TX
“I was experiencing a lot of loneliness and felt like I needed to make some new friends. I also wanted to meet dudes who are at a similar place in life. I’m a divorced dad and I’m trying to start a business. DUDEFRIENDS has given me a place to meet other divorced dads and other entrepreneurs.
Mike S.
Little Rock, AR
Having a way to make more guy friends has been a total game-changer. It’s also improved my relationships with women.
Brett B.
Queens, NY

MESSAGING

DIRECTLY CONNECT WITH OTHER DUDES

GROUPS

FIND DUDES with SIMILAR INTERESTS

FORUMS

Have meaningful discussions WITH KNOWLEDGEABLE DUDES

COURSES

BECOME A MoRE WELL-ROUNDED DUDE (COMING SOON)

ARTICLES

EXPLORE THE DUDEFRIENDS BLOG

CALLS

JUMP ON CONNECTION CALLS WITH DUDES FROM ALL OVER (COMING SOON)

MEET-UPS

HANG WITH DUDES WHO LIVE NEAR you

COACHING

FIND VETTED COACHES & MEN’S GROUPS

RESOURCES

DISCOVER THE BEST STUFF FOR DUDES

STEP 1:
REGISTER IN SECONDS

Simply enter your name, email address, and city, and create a kick-ass password.

STEP 2:
CREATE YOUR PROFILE

Upload a cool photo and fill in some basic information about yourself.

STEP 3:
MAKE SOME DUDEFRIENDS

Join groups, post to forums, connect with like-minded dudes, make #dudefriends.