Struggling to Make Friends as an Adult

I have a hard time even if I find good "candidates". I'm so emotionally removed these days but my friends don't even know it. How could I tell them that I don't/can't be close to them like normal friendships

Yeah, same

Same, for me its starting and maintaining conversations, I can only make surface level friendships because I can't open up.

if bars and clubs aren’t really your scene, you could try taking classes (painting, drawing, fitness, hiking, pottery) or joining clubs (books, gaming, chess, mental health) that are small in size and pertain to your hobbies. it’s easier to make friends when you have common interests. also try to just frequent places that also are small in size and less anxiety inducing for you - think cafés, libraries, and parks. you could also try apps like eventbrite and meetup where you can find events based on your hobbies and you literally just go and make the friends there. but yeah, i could go on lol. 😙 hope this helps!

I’m 24 and I have about.. 2 people that I talk to on a regular basis.. I totally get it. You’re not alone there.

This is old, but I thought of another one that might work for you - community gardening. It's a big space where there will be some people, but not a ton, and you can interact with them, but don't have to.

Those people are right, sorta. Bars and coffee shops are where NT humans typically meet up. But those aren't the only places you can meet people, and you also don't have to go when it's crowded. My partner and I have had pretty good luck with .net developer meetups (although those do tend to end in going to a bar together, it's usually chill and not, like, a club.) You could even go to a meetup/support group for other people with anxiety, etc. Church can also be a really great one - if you're not religious, atheist and agnostic social gatherings do exist. Or perhaps you could try out a class of some kind. If that's still too scary, maybe online gaming? Those won't be people you can meet up with in person, of course, but it's at least people to talk to.