Abby Connolly
You may think that falling in love with your best friend and being unable to get over it only happens in movies, specifically rom-coms.
The ‘friends to lovers’ pipeline can be beautiful or end in a somewhat awkward disaster. It’s terrifying when you realize you’ve developed feelings for a friend, even more so if it’s a friend you’ve had for a very long time.
New friendships turning into love isn’t as surprising or unusual as a friend you’ve only had for a few months or so can easily turn into something more. But when you start to fall for someone you’ve been friends with for a long time, things are more complex.
With longtime friends, you have a very special kind of bond and relationship. You interact with your friends much differently than you do with your romantic partners, and you depend on them differently.
The scariest part about falling in love with a friend is that they may not love you back, leaving them not knowing what to do.
So, if you recently discovered that you’ve fallen for your best friend or have been dealing with these feelings for a while, here’s some advice.
First things first, you want to analyze your true feelings closely. There’s a difference between loving someone and loving them romantically. Consider whether you have romantic feelings for your partner or just love them as a friend.
Ask yourself these questions: Am I genuinely attracted to them? Do I see myself having a future with them? Do I value them more as a friend, or do I want something more out of our relationship?
Clearing up and specifying these feelings may provide you with some mental clarity.
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