Has it happened to you that you were having a drink or just talking to a friend and suddenly you realized the way you looked at them changed? Developing romantic feelings or becoming sexually attracted towards a friend can be exciting and is quite normal, but also can drive feelings of fear and uncertainty. Keep reading to learn more about the pros and cons of when friendships evolve into something else.

How friends’ intimacy works and how it could impact your romantic relationship

Romantic relationships can start in various ways. Neither is better than the other, but the way they begin tends to affect how intimacy develops within the couple and even some issues that might worry you when you are considering starting a new relationship with someone.

Friendship-based intimacy

The way friendships are formed implies that people get to know each other through intimacy grounded in their intellectual and emotional connection. Most likely, you connect through the topics you’re interested in, your sense of humor, and your shared hobbies. It is a form of intimacy that tends to build more slowly but builds a strong connection over time and helps you feel confident that the other person will be kind to your feelings.

Passion-based intimacy

This type of intimacy is the one that tends to surge first when you meet someone in a dating context. It is based on chemistry, physical attraction, and sexual connection. Since this form of attraction tends to build up faster than friendship-based intimacy, it tends to be the way in which couples are formed the fastest.

Even if passion-based intimacy can be the fastest form to get into a sexual encounter with someone, transitioning from a friendship into a lovers’ relationship is not unusual. Actually, some studies suggest that it is more the rule than the exception.

So, don’t think it is odd if you have been suspecting you are developing a sexual attraction for a friend with whom you already have a strong emotional intimacy. If you notice some of the following signs of sexual attraction happening more often than usual, it might be the case:

• Prolonged eye contact
• Constantly thinking or talking about the person
• Increased heart rate
• Increased sexual sensitivity to the person’s touch or yearning to be touched by them

The appearance of these signs can be unsettling because you might start worrying about hurting or losing the friendship if some romantic or sexual interaction happens between you. On the other hand, starting a romantic relationship with someone you already know, care about, and who cares about you can lead to a safe and deeply satisfying relationship both on a sexual and emotional levels.

Whether you decide to take a chance with your friend or not, here is a point to take into consideration: all long-lasting, nurturing, and healthy couple relationships need the development of friendship-based intimacy. Passion-based intimacy is very powerful in bringing lovers together, but it doesn’t last forever on its own. Friendship-based intimacy will help you navigate the lows and give you other routes to connect and feel pleasure together (reading books, cooking together, dancing, telling stories, you name it), even at times when sexual attraction is less intense. (And, if you feel sexual attraction is fading already, take a look at this article.)

Take your time to observe your feelings and try to talk about them with your loved one. In case you decide to take the step, Executive Fantasy Hotels will always have its doors open for you.