Why Does Losing a Best Friend Hurt as Much as a Breakup?

A teen asked why losing a best friend can hurt as much as a breakup, and Allison put the question to another teen who heard it just minutes before we hit record. No script, just an honest conversation. They talk about why a best friend holds a version of you that no one else does, how hard it is to step away when you share the same friend group and group chats, and the "posting war" that can start online after a falling out. Allison explains why friendship loss is real grief, even when nobody seems to treat it that way, and shares a different approach: instead of blowing up a friendship, learn the "friendship dance" of setting boundaries, taking distance, and leaving the door open to come back.
Got a question you think about at midnight? Send it to askdearteen@gmail.com or use the anonymous link in the show notes. No names, no judgment.