Relationships

Should I Date My Friend?

Published: September 16, 2024

Dear TeenHealth FX,

I think I like my friend but I?m scared if I say something they will only like me back out of pity. They have told me about how there has been people they dated only because they felt bad for them, and I don?t want that to be the case. We have a lot in common and have hugged and held hands but I just don?t know if they like me or just pity me.

Signed: Should I Date My Friend?

Dear Should I Date My Friend?,

TeenHealth FX knows how confusing those situations can be! It is important to remember that getting into a relationship and being in a relationship should be a good thing. That means feeling at peace and positive about your decision. If you are already feeling anxious, unsure, confused, etc. That could be a sign that it may not be the best decision for you, right now.

However, much confusion can be cleared up with a conversation. Telling your friend everything that you wrote, especially the part about them only dating certain people out of pity is important. It can be the start of an honest conversation!

TeenHealth FX wants to remind you to do everything within your comfort zone and only what will bring you peace. Dating / considering someone to date is not an easy decision, but it should be fun for you, too!

Signed: TeenHealth FX

Ratings

Suicide is the 2nd leading cause of death in the US among people aged 10-14 ¹

Suicide is the 3rd leading cause of death in the US among people aged 15-24 ²

51% of youth (6-17) get treatment each year for a mental health condition ³

15.6 teenage girls for every 1,000 will give birth to a baby before they are 20 years old. ⁴

Only 6% of high school students get tested for STDs ⁵

1/3 of high school students who were currently sexually active used effective hormonal birth control the last time they had sex with an opposite-sex partner ⁶

Nearly 30% of female students currently drank alcohol and nearly 20% currently used marijuana.⁷

2.14 million middle and high school students currently vape ⁸

Over 80% of women and men both report having experienced their first rape under the age of 25. ⁹

Almost 40% of high school students have reported using marijuana at least once. ¹⁰

83.88% of 12- to 17-year-olds have reported using marijuana within the last month. ¹¹

One in four women first experienced intimate partner violence before the age of 18. ¹²

5.9 million teens have reported to drink at least once in the past month. ¹³

In 2022, there were 1,573 motor-vehicle deaths from underage drinks ¹⁴

About 1 in 10 children live in a home with a parent who has a drinking problem ¹⁵

Only 65 percent of teens consistently wear seat belts when driving or as a passenger. ¹⁶

The risk of motor vehicle crashes is higher among 16- to 19-year-olds than any other age group. ¹⁷

49% of the youth report having less than 3 friends in 2022 ¹⁸

^{2.7 million youth report experiencing severe major depression}¹⁹

Over 3.3 million teens will be graduating from high school in the year 2023-2024 ²⁰

The average social media screen time for teens is 7 hours and 22 minutes per day ²¹