5 Pros and Cons When Your Friend Becomes Your Partner, Any Relatable?
Friendships with the opposite gender indeed add a unique hue to someone's life. Especially, friends usually exhibit good qualities and sync well with us.
It's undeniable that within these friendships, some eventually fall in love and agree to start a romantic relationship. Beautiful and thrilling images may come to mind, but there's another side to it. Curious? Let's explore the pros and cons when your friend becomes your partner!
1. [Pro] Easy Connection in Many Aspects
One of the advantages you'll feel when a friend becomes your partner is an easy connection in many aspects. Throughout your friendship, you and your partner have likely shared various moments together.
They wouldn't be your friend if there wasn't some level of compatibility. Dating a friend means you don't have to worry about awkward conversations. A pair of friends usually share frequencies, from thought patterns to sense of humor. This gives an edge when a friend becomes a romantic partner.
2. [Pro] Already Know Each Other Inside Out
Being in a friendship certainly means you and your friend-turned-partner already know each other quite well. You're not worried about their behavior not meeting your expectations because you've known them for a while.
Besides an easy connection, a friend turned lover also knows you deeply. They understand your true nature, personal issues, and family matters, and you feel the same about them. In this situation, both of you are in a healthy relationship, not worrying about trivial issues and accepting each other as is.
"In reality, the friendship and the support that it contains are the core of any healthy relationship," says psychologist and friendship expert Marisa G. Franco, PhD, as quoted by Well and Good.
3. [Con] Feeling Restricted
There's no denying the joy of having a friend become your partner. You'll feel just like any other couple; the feelings of love will make you smile throughout the day.
However, there's a hitch; the awkwardness that eventually restricts you from freely doing many things. Although you and your current friend-turned-partner know each other well, that awkwardness is unavoidable.
Especially during the transition period in the early stages of your love story, this awkwardness can make both of you more reserved and find it difficult to express yourselves.
4. [Con] Risks Turning the Relationship More Toxic
The love story always seems sweet at the beginning, but it's a different story when the relationship has been going on for some time. The same goes for a friend turned into a romantic partner.
It's possible that even though you and your partner have known each other for a long time and felt compatible, you'll encounter the true character of each other. Some people might be suitable as friends but not as romantic partners.
For instance, your friend might have been caring and loving before becoming your partner. But after years into the relationship, their feelings might have changed.
When this happens, you find yourself in an unpleasant situation. You fear leaving them because you'll lose two people at once, your friend and your partner. Consequently, the relationship becomes more toxic as it makes both of you unhappy.
5. [Con] Prone to Boredom
The friendship bond has likely been established for quite some time. In that context, you've spent a lot of time together.
This aspect significantly affects the situation when you and your friend become romantic partners. Between you and your partner, boredom might start to creep in because you've spent so much time together since being friends. This situation threatens your romantic relationship.
"Relationships are quite challenging when people are compatible. Most likely, you'll damage the friendship you already have by trying to change the dynamics in situations like this," explains Darcy Sterling, a licensed clinical social worker and E! presenter, as quoted by Brides.
Friendship and romance indeed pose their own challenges. However, when you and your partner dare to take this step, be prepared for all the risks that come along.