I'm the same.
My old self would collect people by the many; hold onto them because of some undealt with trauma.
When it was finally time to let go then I began to grow in ways I never imagined I could -- and yet, those that broke away -- I realised we didn't share the same values.
Truth is, we never did really. I was just so worried about getting accepted into the in crowd I forgot who I was as a person.
I have few friends these days, alas -- my life is far more wholesome for it.
I think there is always that time when we concentrate a lot on numbers but the moment we know the truth, we adjust and get a whole different experience.