If he seems content, then why are you making this an issue?

mrsconn23

Dear Prudence,

My husband is perfectly content not having any friends, but it bothers me. He doesn’t mind that I go out with friends; he doesn’t mind that I have people over to the house. He goes on hikes by himself; he sits on the porch and plays guitar. There’s nothing exactly wrong with the situation, except that I have this nagging feeling that people should have friends. Can you either convince me why it’s not a problem or help me justify why it is?

—Friendless Husband

Casadena

Some people are just not extremely social.  9 times out of 10 I'd rather hang out alone or with my husband.  I do have friends, but many of them live far away and are not easily accessible to see regularly.  If he's happy - I dont' know why it bothers you so much. 

Maybe try inviting him out with your friends sometime?  If it's important to you that he be involved like that, I imagine he would make an effort as long as you're not pushy about it.

short+sassy

This does sound like it is only the LW's problem.  She needs to let this go.  If he is content with himself and the way things are, then it is fine.

The only caveat I will give is if he is unsociable and removes himself, when they have guests over to the house.  He at least needs to be comfortable enough around people to be pleasant and make small talk.  But she doesn't complain about that, so I'm back to the only problem is in her own head.

kerbohl

It depends on the age, I think. A number of studies show that when men lose their spouses later in life, since wives are so often the ones that upkeep social ties, men find themselves isolated and without a support system. But if he has family or a support system in place in the event of that, he should be fine.

6fsn

My husband is very content to be alone.  I let him be alone.  He has friends he meets up with when he feels the need, but generally he likes to be with us or read. 

I have a much busier social life that he does tag along too when it's a family/couple thing.  I do wish he had a few couple friends or that he was the one getting invitations so I wasn't always the one doing the "work" on going out, but that's just not him.

climbingsingle

Surely she knew this about him before she married him? 

ei34

This was a Paul Rudd rom-com a few years ago...the fiance wanted him to have more friends, at least so he’d have enough GM to match her BMs. It was an entertaining movie but would strike me as absurd IRL...you married him.  You know him well.  If he’s content without friends why does it bother you?
Inability or unwillingness to interact socially from time to time (like if LW attended weddings solo, or the H locked himself in the bedroom when LW entertains) would concern me, but I don’t see that here.

ShesSoCold

Some people just aren't happy without a problem, huh?

short+sassy

ShesSoCold said:

Some people just aren't happy without a problem, huh?

Ugh!  Yes.  I had a former coworker like that.  She was determined to be miserable, no matter what good things were going on in her life.

I joked to my H that if she ever won millions of dollars in a lottery, she'd b**ch about all the taxes she had to pay.

knottie7d6129cc92a62680

maybe he just loves being alone ._. but maybe, yes, you could invite some of your friends over to your house and let them have fun together with your husband