alone

Today I realized how much of my time I have been spending alone. My work schedule is completely opposite from my families schedules, so I usually spend my day at home, by myself, with no car so I can't really go anywhere. Then when my family does get home I leave for work where I am again alone for 4-6 hours. I hate being alone. I'm the type of person who forces my little brother to come to the grocery store with me because I don't like going there by myself.
Don't get me wrong it's not like I always have to be around people 24/7, but spending the majority of your week by yourself gets old really fast. My parents tell me I need to make friends, and I see their point, but it's not that easy when I'm alone at work for half of my shifts and the other half I work with people who are my parents age. I don't really have anywhere else to meet people so I just hang out alone a lot, and let me tell you it's getting old.
This is starting to sound like a pity post, so I'll stop complaining. I have learned to crochet in my time of solitude, I also read a lot, and sometimes I go on walks by myself. Anyone have any good suggestions of different things I can do to keep me from going crazy? I think getting a puppy would help, but my family doesn't like that idea. It's really quite unfortunate. The other day I wanted to bring my cat inside because I was so sick of being alone, I'm deathly allergic to cats. I'm not exaggerating at all when I say that either,
me + cats= major asthma attack and no breathing. This is the level of my desperation. I'm so lonely I almost risked not being able to breathe for the company of a cat.