The truth is millions of people have all across the world have experienced this at one point or another in their lives. A simple platonic friendship slowly turns into something more for one or both the recipients in the friendship leaving them caught in a struggle between acting on their romantic feelings or pretending they just don’t exist as they dont want to spoil the existing friendship.
So what do you do when you fall in love with your friend? And how do you know it hasn’t already happened to you already? Read below as we get into the how it may go down!
Relationship’s and Emotions
It has been know for friendships to come with a whirlwind of emotions and it’s possible to feel rushes of affection that may make you feel like happy, sad and even angry at times with your friends, but it has also been known for some to feel like their in love, but these feelings might be the product of the deep trust and respect you share which cause a strong physical attraction or infatuation for a friend and often lead you to imagine romantic, intimate moments with them.
When you get these emotions it’s worth spending time considering the source of these feelings and not immediately acting upon them as it can complicate things and possibly cause a friendship to end of the feelings are not reciprocated.
It's important to understand that there's no guarantee as to how your friend feels, regardless of whether their behaviour may indicate a potential romantic connection. At the end of the day, it comes down to your own best judgment of the potential outcomes of deciding to tell or withhold your feelings. But, you should carefully consider and be comfortable with all of all the outcomes that are possible if you tell them.
Some of the outcomes could be:
Your friend feels the same way as you, and you end up in a loving, romantic relationship.
Your friend feels the same way as you but the romantic relationship with your friend doesn't work out for you both but you remain friends
Your friend does not reciprocate your feelings and your friendship remains strong
Your friend does not reciprocate your feelings and a great friendship changes and comes to an end.
The common ground of friendship and love
It’s important to note that there are a couple of things friendship and love have in common meaning you and this person you think you might have feelings for may just really be close friends.
Friendship and love have one giant triangle that makes them closer than you think. Intimacy is the emotional connection you feel with someone and makes the difference between friends and acquaintances.
An acquaintance is someone you may have a conversation and a few drinks with, but they're not going to be someone you talk to whenever you're feeling down about yourself or need a shoulder to cry on.
A friend is someone you can open up about your feelings to, and they're a person you can stay with for a long time without getting bored or tired.
Love and friendship both share this intimacy
A romantic relationship isn't going to last if there is no intimate connection. Your love is often your best friend for a reason.
It’s often better to take a chance with your feelings instead of regretting not telling your friend the romantic feelings you felt, in most cases these feelings are often reciprocated and the relationship works out but it has been know to also ruin relationships too.
Conclusion
If you have romantic feelings for or even feel like you’re falling in love with a friend and are struggling with how to handle the situation you’re not alone.
Listen To Podcast S3 E18: Can You Fall In Love With A Friend Without Knowing
Comments