Relationships are complicated in and of themselves, but when it comes to turning a friendship into a romance, the transition can be especially tricky. With your feelings, and of course, a friendship at stake, dating a friend you’ve known for years can be the best — and most terrifying — thing ever. Needless to say, the deciding factor is whether or not your feelings are returned, and whether you gain a significant other or lose a close confidant. But while the future may be uncertain, experts say that there is a way to cross the line cautiously so as not to catch your crush off-guard and, at the very least, preserve your friendship if the attraction isn’t mutual. Ahead, you’ll hear from therapists who dish on the challenges and triumphs that can come with dating a friend, as well as one woman who tried it, herself spoiler: It didn’t work out in the long run. The gurus also give their pro advice on how to decide whether to pursue a romance and the best ways to go about it. If you’ve been thinking about sharing your “more-than-friends” feelings with someone you care about, read on to determine whether it’s worth the risk. Before blurting out “I love you” to one of your buds, it’s important to think everything through.

What to Do When Your Friend’s Partner Has a Terrible Personality

The first kiss my boyfriend and I shared as friends-who-now-know-they-like-each-other was nothing short of terrifying. I pulled him into what I thought would be a sweeping, spark-filled smooch and he just stood there, hardly moving. The rest of the date was even more catastrophic. We nervously drank too much and watched Sweet Home Alabama on his bed without looking at each other. I was convinced we had no chemistry and that I ruined a perfectly-great friendship.

How do you know when a friend is your best friend? But if you’re looking for signs to help you identify your current And that trust can range from your best friend keeping your secrets to always showing up for a lunch date.

All products are independently selected by our editors. If you buy something, we may earn an affiliate commission. There’s not a lot of variety in how we define social dynamics between men, but there are so many subtle variations to how you can feel about your ride-or-die. The Guyliner takes a look at the different ways you can love your best man. You love him, sure, just as you would a brother, but what if it started to feel like something else entirely? What if you started to wonder whether you were actually in love with him?

26 Signs You Are in Love with Your Best Friend

You laugh all the time. Friends laugh. You enjoy running errands together. You cheer each other on.

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One of the best foundations for a healthy and happy relationship and sex life is having a strong bond. Because if you think about it, being with someone who is willing to watch a Twilight marathon with you on a rainy Saturday is just as crucial as being with someone who you want to have sex with during all the boring parts. And the experts agree.

But what if the situation is reversed? Can dating a guy or girl you’re already buds with be a good idea? Well, that depends on the friend. Starting a relationship with someone you already trust, have things in common with, and care about can create a solid bond for the long haul, but there needs to be an attraction there as well. On the other hand, your super-hot friend may not be the best person for the long-term if they have a long streak of sleeping with girls and never calling them again.

So how can you tell if you should explore something more with a pal? Here are seven things to consider:. Missing a tequila and taco-fueled celebration to hang with you while you’re out for the count definitely goes beyond the call of friendship duty. His family loves you and the feeling is mutual. You’re both totally obsessed with your savings accounts.

Your Friend Is Dating a Horrible Person. Now What?

It happened right before my eyes: the guy sitting across the table, who I used to text about the really awkward dates I went on, transformed into the person I wanted to be kissing at the end of the night. It was an electric feeling — like I got zapped — and suddenly I realized everything was about to change in a big way. When you start to date your best friend, you gain a lot: a protector, undeniable confidence, and a feverish determination to make your relationship work.

But you also lose a lot and learn a lot. Read on to find out why taking on the challenge is a tough feat, but at the end of the day, totally worth it.

If you’re having feelings for a friend, check out these 7 signs to know it’s Taylor B., 25, who’s been dating one of her best friends from college.

Jorge’s relationship advice is based on experience and observation. He’s seen many people—including himself—get seduced and hurt by love. If you’re wondering this, don’t fret—you’re not alone! Developing a crush on a friend isn’t uncommon in the slightest, so it’s definitely possible that your friend is attracted to you. You should consider these questions because if you like your friend as more than a friend, you will probably interpret their actions differently and see “signs” that aren’t really there.

So before you worry about how to tell if your friend likes you, consider any possible biases that you might have. If you don’t think you’re simply seeing what you want to see, your friend may indeed be interested in being more than just your buddy. Signs a guy likes you can also be different from signs a girl likes you.

Still, some things stay consistent no matter what. Here are some common ways to tell if your friend wants to take your relationship to the next level. Continue scrolling to learn more about these 14 common signs that your friend might like you, and see if they apply to your situation. At the bottom of this article, you’ll also find information about what to do if your friend likes you, including reasons to date or not to date your bestie!

#NoNewFriends: The 34 Signs You Are Actually Dating Your Best Friend

It’s okay to be single at this point in your life, as many of us in our 20s are. With good friends by your side, who cares if you have a man in your life? Sure, your female BFF can’t have sex with you, but hey, God gave you hands for a reason.

I know all about him, but he doesn’t know I exist They think we would be good, and ask if we are dating, but I don’t like him – we’re just really.

When my oldest cousin Laura brought her then boyfriend now husband to Christmas Eve dinner for the first time, we sat him down, gathered around the table and each wrote our “yes” or “no” vote down on paper to determine whether or not he was worthy of dating her. We put them all into a hat and read out the answers one by one — to his face. This has since become a Christmas tradition in our family, and as such, has deterred me from ever jumping the gun on introducing a significant other to my family unless I’m absolutely sure he’s worth it.

But even if your family isn’t as intense as mine, figuring out the right time to introduce your love interest to your family and friends is never easy. Doing it too soon could be off-putting; doing it too late can make the person you’re with feel like you’re not that serious about your relationship. Not doing it at all? That’s what we call pocketing. Pocketing goes beyond avoiding the dreaded meet the parents moment. As psychologist and life coach Ana Jovanovic explains, you’re hidden from view in virtually all aspects.

Your relationship seems non-existent to the public eye,” she says. It can be a tricky thing to detect, but as Rachel Perlstein , licensed clinical social worker practicing in New York and Los Angeles, points out, one key difference between waiting for the right time and being pocketed is transparency. Pocketing comes with the intention of hiding away the person you’re dating.

Oftentimes the pocketer does not want their partner to meet friends and family; it’s a way of creating space and distance in the relationship.

7 Signs You Should Date Your Friend

And that someone might just be your best friend, the person who has been there all along. Whether or not you have already thought of them in a romantic way, it is worth considering whether there is more to your relationship than you originally thought. Your hugs linger, you find yourself playing with your hair when you talk to them, and you regularly break the touch barrier.

Whether you’ve always had a massive crush on your best friend or you just realized that your gym buddy is kind of hot, you may be wondering.

You’ve hooked up before. This is what separates the “just friends” from the “eh, we’re just friends for now. There’s a spark there. A physical attraction. Plus, you already love spending time with each other. Maybe it’s happened more than once. At that point, though, you just need to start dating. Is there a new movie you want to see? You’re dragging them along.

8 Signs You Should Just Start Dating Your Best Friend

Medically Reviewed By: Lauren Guilbeault. When friendships deepen, sometimes romantic feelings can begin to occur within you. When you start to feel romantically attracted to a good friend, you may wonder if you should act on those feelings. It’s important to acknowledge and respect your feelings while making a good choice in a romantic partner. When a crush or romantic feelings emerge, you have a decision to make.

Okay, we know that answer won’t win the million-dollar prize. The truth is, when it comes to dating and relating, there really are very few black and white answers.

I talk a lot about how people seem to be in such a hurry to rush into a dating relationship. In the end, best friends make great marriages. So for him, this is unquestionably a very delicate situation. Friendships are priceless and need protecting and nurturing so they will grow. In the end, you will need to communicate with each other and define what your relationship really is. After all, a good close friend of the opposite sex is priceless.

Both sides have to agree they want to go deeper with the other person. But as I often say, these things have to be talked out.

7 Reasons You Shouldn’t Date Your Best Friend

It’s often said that your significant other should be your best friend, and it’s true that relationships where the two people genuinely like each other and feel like they can rely on each other for support do better than those formed on less permanent ties. When you’ve got a best friend about whom you are feeling more than friendly, it’s natural to wonder whether the burgeoning feelings you have for them are the first stirrings of love.

Here are some ways for you know if that is the case. Was this helpful? Now What?

With your feelings, and of course, a friendship at stake, dating a friend If you’ve been thinking about sharing your “more-than-friends” feelings with someone you care about, read on to determine whether it’s worth the risk.

Then, all of a sudden, it happens. Your BFF starts dating that person that you had already expressed interest in. What gives? It can easily leave you feeling hurt, confused, betrayed, and angry all at once — and understandably so. Not only are you dealing with the fact that someone else is dating the person you like, but that someone is your best friend.

Teen Vogue teamed up with licensed counselor Lauren Hasha to bring you some tips for coping with this very scenario. Ahead, find out how you can deal with this type of situation and move forward to mend what might be a broken heart. When people are overwhelmed with feelings like anger, hurt, or jealousy, it can be tempting to lash out. But Hasha urges everyone to keep in mind that talking and communicating is much more effective than doing something you might regret.

Try talking it out with your friend, especially if they knew you liked the person. If you had spent a lot of time chatting with your BFF about your crush, it can feel extra confusing if something starts brewing between them.

17 Clear Signs You Should Be Dating Your Best Friend

Ultimately, whether a duo should be more than friends comes down to whether feelings of romantic, sexual, and physical attraction, and compatibility exist, says clinical psychologist Carla Marie Manly, Ph. These seven signs, however, point to yes. On screen, two best friends falling in love feels inevitable.

Who else is going to love these characters for their flaws and imperfections like their bestie?

Don’t Keep Secrets.

It does, after all, seem like a hard line to draw in the sand. On the flip side, it might also impact your relationship with your friend, depending on things like how they broke up , how long they dated, and whether or not they still harbor feelings for this person in question. If the breakup was recent, for example, your friend may have some lingering feelings. They may also feel awkward about situations in which the three of you might hang out after these new relationship lines are drawn.

And in that case, your friend may not want you to have anything to do with the ex—to save you from future anguish. Before knowing the best way to proceed, you need to get to the bottom of these feelings. The worst way to go about this? Assuming you know how your pal might react. Instead be clear and direct, which means you need to admit your feelings outright—before things go too far with the ex. You guys were never serious , she suggests an approach that provides your pal some agency.

10 Signs You’re In The FRIEND ZONE