Opposite-sex friendships: Where should couples draw the line?

Healthy friendships require healthy boundaries The effect of friends of the opposite sex depends largely on the nature of the friendship and the health of the relationship at home.

Recognising warning signs A friendship may need to be reassessed if: • You begin hiding conversations or meetings from your partner.

In some cases, opposite-sex friendships have contributed to misunderstandings, jealousy, and even relationship breakdowns—not necessarily because anything inappropriate happened, but because of secrecy, poor communication, or crossed boundaries.