CMV: Telling lonely men to just make platonic friends is an excuse to offload their problems rather than actually help them

I often see advice given to lonely men that they should focus on making platonic friends instead of pursuing romantic relationships. While having friends is valuable and meaningful, I think this advice misses the real issue: many of these men aren’t just looking for companionship in a general sense, they specifically want romantic relationships. Telling them to make friends instead feels like a way of offloading their struggles onto future friends rather than actually addressing their concerns.

I say this as someone who does have friends, and I don’t think platonic friendships fill the same emotional space as romantic relationships do. Sure, friends can provide support, but they don’t replace the intimacy, affection, and deeper connection that romantic partners offer. A man who is struggling with loneliness in a romantic sense might make some great friends and still feel unfulfilled, because his core problem hasn’t been solved.

Of course, I understand that jumping straight into seeking romance from a place of deep loneliness can be unhealthy. But instead of dismissing their feelings and redirecting them to friendships, wouldn't it be better to actually help them figure out why they’re struggling with romantic relationships in the first place?