Study Reveals Reconnecting with Old Friends as Daunting as Meeting New People

Researchers find many hesitate to revive lapsed friendships, citing awkwardness and fear of rejection as major barriers.

Recent studies by Simon Fraser University and the University of Sussex show high reluctance to reconnect with old friends, comparable to the discomfort of talking to strangers.
About 90% of participants have lost touch with a friend they still care about, but 70% feel ambivalent or negative about reestablishing contact.
Common barriers include fear of awkwardness, perceived indifference from the friend, and feelings of guilt.
Interventions to reduce reconnecting anxiety, like messaging current friends first, showed mixed results in encouraging people to reach out.
Researchers hope their findings encourage more individuals to take the step to reconnect with someone they miss.