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Having a best friend is great. They are someone who will keep your secrets and always have your back, but it’s often a mistake to cross the line into a romantic relationship with them. There are a number of risks that come along with taking your friendship to the next level. It isn’t always the fairytale you imagined it would be. That said, here are six reasons you probably shouldn’t date your best friend.
1. The Breakup Could Ruin Your Friendship
Breaking up with a regular partner is tough, but breaking up with your best friend is devastating. When things don’t work out the way you thought they would, the entire dynamic of the relationship will change. It will never be able to go back to the way things were before. Not to mention, some of your mutual friends may feel torn by the breakup, feeling forced to choose sides. At the end of it all, some of your inside jokes and shared routines will only serve as a painful reminder of the broken connection.
2. The Mystery and Excitement Will Be Gone
One of the best parts of a new relationship is discovering things about each other. When you date your best friend, you already know their quirks, habits, and embarrassing stories. There’s no excitement in learning about their past or uncovering their hidden talents. The relationship could lack the natural thrill of getting to know someone new.
3. You’ll Have No Safe Space to Vent
Your best friend is usually the person you go to when you need to rant about your relationship. But when your partner and your best friend are the same person, you lose that safe space. There’s no neutral third party to give you advice or help you see things from a different perspective. You might feel trapped, with no one to turn to when things get rocky.
4. You May Overlook Red Flags
Because you already love and trust your best friend, you might ignore warning signs that would normally be deal-breakers. You may excuse toxic behaviors simply because you’ve known them for so long. Instead of seeing the relationship objectively, you might cling to the idea that everything will work out. Your emotional attachment can cloud your judgment, preventing you from making the best decisions for yourself.
5. The Relationship Might Lack Chemistry
Just because you get along as friends doesn’t mean you’ll have romantic chemistry. The spark that fuels attraction in a relationship isn’t always present between best friends. You might adore spending time together but realize that there’s no real passion. This can lead to an awkward dynamic where one person wants more than the other.
6. You Risk Losing Your Biggest Support System
Best friends are the people who cheer you on, lift you up, and help you through life’s struggles. But if your romantic relationship ends badly, you might lose your most important support system. No more late-night pep talks, inside jokes, or being each other’s number-one fan. Losing that connection can leave a massive hole in your life.
Is It Worth the Risk?
You might think that dating your best friend sounds like a great idea. Ultimately, it can lead to some catastrophic fallout. If you wind up breaking up, your friendship will never be the same (if you’re even able to still be friends). Relationships can be complicated and sometimes it’s best to keep your friend in the “friend zone.” So, before you make that move, take the time to truly think about what you are doing. You don’t want to gamble away your friendship.
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Drew Blankenship is a former Porsche technician who writes and develops content full-time. He lives in North Carolina, where he enjoys spending time with his wife and two children. While Drew no longer gets his hands dirty modifying Porsches, he still loves motorsport and avidly watches Formula 1.
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