Dear Evie and Dee,

I get this thing where I get extremely friend jealous. I’ll see my best friend post pictures online of her and her other newer friends, and I get super self-conscious. I start to think they’re better friends than I am to her. Whenever we text I feel like she hates me, and I don’t know what to do since I don’t want to lose her… Is it bad to be jealous of your best friend just having a good time with others? Your advice would really help… Thanks.

Sincerely,

Jealous Friend

Dear Jealous Friend,

It is definitely not a bad thing to get friend jealous; it’s something that we’ve all experienced from time to time. Friend groups are constantly shifting in high school, and sometimes it’s normal for friends to drift apart. However, if you really care about your friend, then there are steps you can take to maintain your relationship. The first thing that you need to do is really break down and analyze the situation. Look at it from an objective point of view and ask yourself, is there really anything to be jealous about? If you have had this friendship for a long time, the chances are that you have a deep and meaningful connection with them. If it seems like your friend is losing that connection with you or is spending less and less time with you, then you may need to talk to them about it. Tell them how you feel that they are phasing you out. If they really care about you, they will take the time to work out this problem. However, if you look at the situation and find that you two are still close and you are still getting to spend time with them, you could give it time and see how you feel after a while. If it is still a problem, then don’t be afraid to bring it up! I’m sure they will assure you that it is fair to get jealous and that you still mean a lot to them.

Sincerely,

Evie and Dee