Jennifer Silvershein, LCSW, owner of Manhattan Wellness , says that men and women can be friends, but sometimes outside factors or societal pressures will cause you to consider your friend as a romantic option — even though you might not actually like them in that way. For example, your friends might ask you if your friendship has ever escalated into more, prompting you to consider it. Another scenario: If you just got dumped or you’re feeling lonely, you could look around and just pick the closest person to you to consider a relationship with. Basically, she says it’s complicated. And you need to parse through your feelings, and figure out what’s really prompting them. But if you decide you do want to take your relationship with your friend to the next level, be honest but careful with the way you express your feelings.