You probably wonder what distinguishes a best friend from a special friend.
But the real question is: why do you need friends in the first place? According to the researchers, friendship can have positive effects on our well-being. So, you can say having friends is a necessity for our happiness.
Different cultures perceive the meaning of friendship differently. Research found that good health and higher levels of happiness are associated with valuing friendship cross-culturally.
Here’s a quick answer to our main query:
The difference between a best friend and a special friend is that one is like family, and the other is more like a best friend. The true meaning of friendship is having someone you can trust with your secrets, someone who will listen to you and be there for you when you need them.
If you want to have an in-depth overview of different kinds of friends, stick around and keep on reading.
Let’s dive into it…
How Do You Define “Best Friend”?
We meet different kinds of people daily and befriend only those with whom we get along well. Some friends are just like your long-lost siblings. Interestingly true friends share a special bond that no other relationship can match.
You both share your deepest secrets. Also, your friend doesn’t leave your back no matter how hard the situation is.
Here are different qualities that a good friend has:
- They stay honest with you.
- A true and good friend won’t judge you.
- They’ll accept you and your flaws.
- They respect your choices.
- Your best friend will always see the good in you. They’ll show you encouragement when you need it the most.
What Does “Special Friend” Mean?
Unlike a best friend, a special friend is closer to your heart. Your special buddy understands every aspect of your life. You share so much in common; therefore, they can relate to your problems. Above all, you can get the best advice if your friend has dealt with similar problems.
Here’s what a special friend means:
- Someone very important to you.
- A person who you feel comfortable with and who makes you feel happy.
- Someone you have a special relationship with, such as friends, family, or significant other.
How To Identify Toxic Friends?
When you have learned about best and special friends in detail, it’s essential to learn to identify a toxic friend.
Toxic friends are the ones that harm your mental health.
They can be people from your past who you have put down and treated badly, or they could be people you don’t even know but who are spreading negative energy through social media. It’s not necessary that only teens and young adults have to deal with toxic friends, they can harm people of every age group.
How Do Toxic Friends Affect You?
First of all, these kinds of people always need some advantage from you. It can either be your money or time.
They also mock you and discuss your insecurities in front of others. Criticizing and putting you down are other signs of their toxicity.
They act entitled or like their opinions matter more than yours.
Toxic friends ruin relationships by making their own needs more important than the relationships themselves.
Toxic friends will often try to control others through manipulation like guilt-tripping, belittling comments or criticism, and finally, manipulation through physical or verbal maltreatment.
How Do You Tell If Someone Is Interested In You?
A person who is interested in you is someone who can see you as a potential friend or partner. They’re not just interested in having sex with you, they want to get to know you.
They’re also more likely to invite you out on a date and are open to seeing where things go from there. But this doesn’t guarantee anything—it’s still important to be careful around someone who seems too good to be true, especially if they’re asking for your number or making plans for the weekend straight away.
For someone to be interested in you they must have a genuine interest and not just use you to fulfill their desires.
Have and Have Nots ft. Best Friend
| A Must Have | A Big No | |
| Possessiveness | ✔ | |
| Over-possessiveness | ✔ | |
| The User | ✔ | |
| Bad Influence | ✔ | |
| Unnecessary Interference | ✔ | |
| Loyalty | ✔ | |
| Honesty | ✔ | |
| Trust | ✔ |
Effects of New Friendships on Older Friendships
When you meet someone new, it’s easy to forget about your old friends. The new person takes up all of your time and attention.
But that doesn’t mean your friendships are dead—they just might be different now that you have a new friend in your life.
If you’ve ever been in this situation, then you know how much it can affect a friendship. You have to make time for both of your friendships, which is hard when one of them is so much more important than the other.
How To Keep Your Old Friendships Alive
Here are some tips to keep your friendship alive with older friends:
- Be open to new experiences. Yes, it’s fine to get to know new people.
- Don’t focus on what they have, but on what you have instead. It’s never a good idea to compare the financial statuses of two friends.
- Stay engaged in each other’s lives and share new things when possible, even if those things aren’t your usual thing to do or aren’t perfect for you right now.
- Don’t let anyone else pressure you into doing something that isn’t right for them or isn’t right for you.
Conclusion
- Did you know that friendship can have a huge impact on your happiness and overall well-being? Well, there’s scientific backing for these claims.
- Both best friends and special friends are people you make significant memories with.
- However, a special friend is closer to your heart.
- There should be some barriers that your friend shouldn’t cross.
- Therefore, you should always be able to identify a toxic friend for the sake of your mental health.
- New friendships can impact existing ones. They require effort to balance and maintain connections with both old and new friends.
- Best friends share honesty, respect, and encouragement. Whereas special friends hold a deeper, more intimate connection.
- Have-and-have-nots in friendships highlight the importance of loyalty, honesty, and trust. One should avoid being possessive and a negative influence on others.