BFF Breakups Are Hard to Do – From The Columbian

Experts offer advice to deal with loss of a longtime friendship

Saturday, November 7 | 2:51 p.m.

BY MARY ANN ALBRIGHT
COLUMBIAN STAFF WRITER

…"There’s this myth that good friends can keep friends forever. In fact, most friendships fall apart over time," said psychologist Irene Levine, a professor at New York University’s School of Medicine and author of the book "Best Friends Forever: Surviving a Breakup With Your Best Friend."

As people’s lives change, it can become difficult to relate to friends with whom you once shared much in common. These friendships can fade over time.

In other instances, breakups are sudden. A betrayal or disappointment can quickly fracture a friendship built over years, even decades.

The end of a friendship is something most people experience at least once in their lifetime, but it remains a taboo topic. People are hesitant to discuss losing or letting go of friends because they feel like they’re being disloyal or failing by breaking the BFF pact, said the Chappaqua, N.Y.-based Levine, a blogger for The Huffington Post and Psychology Today.

For her book, released in September, Levine conducted an online survey of more than 1,500 women. As long as she promised anonymity, people were happy to share their experiences with friendship breakups…

Click here to read the entire article from The Columbian.

Category: KEEPING FRIENDS