Having a best friend can be the greatest thing in the whole world. They will work well with your personality, and they will help you to live your best life. You will be close to them, and you will be with someone that you don’t have platonic feelings for.
But what happens when you and your best friend start having different feelings? Falling in love with someone that you are super close to can be a normal thing, but the problem is that if something goes wrong then you are at risk of hurting your friendship if the relationship goes wrong.
If you start to have romantic feelings with your friend, then you might wonder if trying to date them is a good or bad idea.
The Good and Bad of Dating Your Best Friend
When you start dating your best friend it can be a good thing but there are also things that might and could go wrong. Here are some things you need to consider.
- Good: You Trust Each Other
One good thing about dating your best friend is that you have a strong trust in each other. Since you know each other well, you will have less pressure when it comes to knowing if you can trust them or not. Also, you will be comfortable around them because you are close to each other.
The other thing is that you will know more about their dating history. Since you share all of your secrets with each other, you will know what they feel about love and relationships. It will make it easier to figure out what they are feeling and thinking.
- Bad: You Could Lose a Best Friend
One of the bad things about dating your best friend is that you could lose them as a best friend if the relationship goes bad. If you decide that you can’t date and you just want to be friends and you break up with each other, you might lose them as your best friend.
You also might decide that you don’t want to do this because you would rather have a best friend than a partner. You should discuss this before you ever decide to date.
- Good: They Make You Comfortable
You won’t have to work hard or worry about being uncomfortable around this person because you already know everything about them. You might be more confident with them than you would be in someone that you are just getting to know.
One thing about this relationship is that you already have good communication with each other which helps make relationships successful. Being familiar with this person can make the relationship easier.
- Bad: You Miss Out on the Introduction Stage
Even though this stage can be awkward, this is one of the rewarding things about meeting someone new. You get to know them in new ways, and you find out things about them that are exciting like what talents they have, their goals, who their family is and whatever else you want to know. This allows you to build your relationship and to hang out and talk about things you never knew before.
Even if you love your best friend, you will miss out on the excitement of getting to know them in a different way because you already know them.
- Good: You Have the Same Friends
One great thing about dating your friend is that you already know their circle and they know yours. This means that you know their family and friends, and you don’t have to worry about feeling awkward at family functions. You probably even have the same people that you spend time with.
If you decide you want to date your best friend, you will already fit in with the important people in their life because you have already gotten to know them earlier on in the relationship.
- Bad: Things Can Change
Even though sometimes things change for the better. You might find that you can’t interact with them the same way that you did before. You won’t be able to talk about relationship things anymore and you won’t be able to get their opinions about everything. If you think that you have true love when you are together, you will start to change and interact differently.
No Relationship is the Same
Remember, no relationship is going to be the same and being with your best friend can be very rewarding and exciting. But you need to look at the good and the bad and know that there is a risk of things going wrong.
Rather you decide to act on your feelings should depend on your situation. You need to make sure that you and your friend are ready to deal with the ups and downs of dating each other and you need to make sure that when you ask them to date you that you are ready for them to say no, in case that happens.
Ask yourself these questions and see if you are ready to head into a romantic relationship with your friend:
- Am I attracted the them physically? Are they attracted to me?
- Would they be interested in dating me?
- What kind of relationship do I want with my best friend?
- Do I believe we can make it as a couple or am I doubtful?
- Would I rather just be friends with benefits?
- What will happen if we break up with each other?
- Will we be able to be friends if the relationship doesn’t work out?
Final Thoughts
It can be tempting to want to date your best friend especially if romantic feelings start to form. Being romantic with your best friend can be exciting and fun but there will also be a lot of changes that take place.
If you need to talk to a therapist about your friendship or your romantic relationships, talk to someone that you can trust and find out if you should move your relationship forward or if you aren’t quite ready.
This article offers a balanced view of dating your best friend, highlighting both the benefits and potential pitfalls. It’s clear that communication and mutual understanding are key factors in deciding whether to take the plunge.
Consulting a therapist when in doubt is an excellent suggestion. Sometimes an unbiased third party can provide the clarity needed to make an informed decision.
The idea of discussing the possibility of dating before acting on any feelings is sound advice. Setting expectations and boundaries early on can greatly minimize risks.
The key takeaway here is the importance of evaluating your individual situation. Each friendship and relationship is unique, so there isn’t a one-size-fits-all answer.
And don’t forget to think about how a breakup might impact not just your relationship, but your wider social circle too.
Agreed. It’s crucial to take your time and consider the specific dynamics of your friendship before making any decisions.
Notably, the article mentions that you might miss out on the excitement of the introduction stage. While this might seem minor, it’s an interesting point worth considering.