 Hi there Psych2Go fans! For those of you who are new or someone who's been a loyal fan, we're glad to see you here and want to thank you for supporting us. Your ongoing help, sharing and liking has helped Psych2Go continue our mission to make psychology accessible to everyone. Want more information about the topic of this video? No problem, there are references at the end. Are you lucky enough to have a best friend, or at least have known a deep, trusting friendship? Finding a true, loving friendship, one that makes you feel happy, safe and secure, is so rare and special that when we do, we can't help but wish that it would last forever. Having friends like this can be one of the greatest pleasures in life, so it can be devastating for us to lose them. Saying goodbye to a best friend is heartbreaking, but trying to salvage a friendship that's not meant to last does more harm than good. Loving someone means doing what's best for them, even when it hurts you. With that said, here are 6 signs that can help you realize when it's time to let go of your best friend. 1. You're second-guessing your friendship Though you don't want to admit it, you're starting to second-guess the relationship, questioning what the point of the friendship is. You've both changed so much that it's almost as if you're completely different people now. You no longer have anything in common, and you don't know what to talk about. Friends that were once easygoing and fun now feel constantly awkward and forced. Everything you used to love doing with them, you've seemed to stop enjoying altogether. No matter how much you want to hold on to the past, and the way things used to be between you two, you know in your heart that everything is just too different now. 2. You don't communicate anymore Another common reason why friendships end is because people tend to grow apart over time. You and your best friend have both gone your separate ways, but you're still holding on and pretending like you haven't. You still think of them as your best friend even if you haven't kept in touch or talked to them in ages. You barely see each other anymore, and neither of you make any effort to get together. You might want to pretend as if this is normal, especially when you're either busy or live far apart from one another. At some point, though, it will all start sounding like empty excuses to you. 3. You want different things We all have plans and goals that we want to achieve in our lives, and sometimes pursuing them can mean having to let certain people go. It's hard when you and your best friend both want different, very different things for yourselves, and staying in the friendship means sacrificing one or the other's hopes and dreams. Asking someone to give that up for you will only make them resent you for it in the end. 4. You've found other friends You may not realize that you and your best friend are already drifting apart until you make new close friends. When being with people other than your bestie feels more compatible and comfortable, that's already a clear sign that it's time to let go, or at least accept that the friendship isn't what it was and let the status of best friend drop. This doesn't mean that the new friends treat you better or that you like them more than your best friend. It simply means that you feel like you belong more with them than you do with your old friend, and that you owe it to yourself and to them to be honest about it. 5. They've broken your trust This is a particularly sad reason for ending a friendship. Unfortunately, it does happen. Trust is, after all, the foundation of any healthy relationship. Without it, things can never move forward or get better between you and your best friend. Maybe you've just had one fight too many, or you've said some things to each other that can't be taken back. Either way, there's been too much hurt to save the friendship. Collins and Val Dumbin's 2006 study posits that, although repeated forgiveness and moving on is an option, the best thing you can do at that point is to start over and find peace with someone else. 6. You're the only one holding on Finally, if you feel that the effort to keep the friendship alive is virtually one-sided, with you being the loadbearer, then it might be time to end things with this person. As much as it hurts to be rejected, especially by someone you've considered to be your closest and dearest friend, trying to force them to change their mind is still wrong. If they don't want you in their life anymore, spare yourself the indignity and leave. Asking for answers to get closure is an option. Anymore than that, though, is not recommended. Generally speaking, it's not good for your self-esteem and mental health to stay with someone who clearly doesn't want you. No matter how you look at it, letting go of someone you love is one of the most difficult and painful decisions you're ever going to make in life. You may experience a cycle of grieving with stages of anger, denial, and sadness before accepting it. Through it all, though, you'll understand deep down inside that it is the right thing to do. Some things are just meant to come apart, and that's okay. People are meant to change and mature. Moving forward in life means learning and growing from your past. Not being held back by it. Can you relate to this video? Have you experienced any of the points indicated or notice it happening around you? How have you reacted? Please comment, subscribe, and like below. Don't forget to share this video with someone who might relate to it as well. We'd also love to hear what you would be interested in us covering next. Thanks for watching, and thank you for being you.