Humans haven't had that problem for thousands of years. For thousands of years our friends and family were mostly our neighbors if not actually living in our households. You could argue that Facebook and social media in general has perverted the notion of what a "friend" is.
Of course we have. Soldiers going off to war. Marriages between two families in different towns or countries for political or economic reasons. Moving from the country to the city in the hopes of a better life. Becoming a travelling merchant. Etc.
Maybe the need was not as great as it is now, but the need certainly existed.
