A Piece of Advice

I wish my friends were more supportive of my relationship

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2 mins. read

Topics: Inter-racial,Inter-caste,Inter-class,Inter-Faith,Age Gap,Starting Out,Dating,Getting Serious

I’m truly sorry that your friends aren’t more encouraging of your relationship; it makes sense that you’d want their support. Research indicates that friends’ reactions to a relationship matters to couples and can have a big impact on them. As I’m unaware of your exact circumstance, I’m going to presume you’re in an unconventional relationship, which is why your friends aren’t supporting your union. Assuming this is true, here are some possible next steps you could take:

  1. Start by accepting what you can and cannot control. You can make every effort to convince your friends to be more supportive of your relationship, and hopefully they’d be open-minded and willing to change their viewpoint. But it’s not in your power to actually make them see your relationship in a new, more affirming way. That’s up to them.
  2. Invite your friends to spend time with you and your partner. Studies reveal that when people from different groups (e.g., different races, sexual orientations, religious faiths) have pleasant experiences together, their views of one other’s groups improve. In addition, if someone from a group you identify with (e.g., the same religious faith) has a connected relationship with someone from another group (e.g., a different religious faith), you become more accepting toward that person’s group even if you’ve never met that person. If your friends are unwilling to spend time with your partner, consider occasionally informing them about how well the relationship is going and how happy your partner makes you.
  3. If your friends are unwilling to be more supportive, think about seeking out new, additional friends who affirm your bond with your partner. This doesn’t mean you need to end relationships with the friends you have. What it does mean is that you’re giving yourself and your partner an opportunity to experience more of the welcoming approval you fully deserve.

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Did You Know

1 in 2 youths keep their relationship a secret due to parental disapproval.