I have a similar story, myself. Had I not found ponies, I wouldn't have become so active in looking for friendship. Before that, I didn't understand the importance of it. Once the show inspired me to go make friends, I was literally getting high on friendship constantly. It even set me on the path of studying psychology and counseling.
...Though I wasn't very discerning in choosing my friends and ended up in a rather shady crowd. It was a start, though. Recently, I left my old clique of bronies whose ideas on friendship seemed questionable to me, my faith in friendship having been badly shaken. I was driving home from work today and I felt so sad--these days, friendship is the only thing I really believe in, and I was wondering whether I could even believe in that anymore...
But just now, I find this thread. The brony community, and this site in particular, have actually saved someone's life? If that's not real friendship, I don't know what is. I knew of this place when it was in its infancy, but its quickly-growing size scared me away. Why didn't I join this place months ago???
This has renewed my faith in finding true friends... and I may have just found my new home on the Internet.