Natasha Lunn

When I asked psychiatrist Dr Megan Poe why people lose their sense of self in relationships, she said it’s sometimes because they’re trying to ‘echo-locate the other and not reveal the self’ and merge with them.

when I met a group of friends at university it was the first time I could lean on a set of people who saw all the different sides of me. We had different dynamics and personalities, but they became a form of family I’d been longing for. They taught me love could be consistent and solid and steady, that it could make me feel safe. I know some people prioritize romantic love over friendship, but the truth is I love my friends more than I have loved any partner. They are the people who have shown me what it means to love and be loved.

Perhaps not having a label on friendship means it feels less like it could officially break. Of course a friendship can end too, but if it does, the break can be more of a slow drift.