u/KennyMcCormickIrl

This is something I've been genuinely wondering as someone with social anxiety...

I'm just too scared to just consider someone my friend unless they say I'm their friend first because even if we might hang out and talk often what if I'm just missreading the signals and the other person is just really really nice and acts friendly towards everyone?? You could do anything, tell me your deepest darkest secrets, you could text me everyday, hang out with me every day, but if you never said the word "friend" while referring to me I'll never have the confidence to call you my friend but NOT BECAUSE I DON'T SEE YOU LIKE THAT, I'M JUST INTERNALLY LIKE "oh, they're so cool and sweet and funny... They're really an amazing person... I wish they considered me their friend because I really wanna be friends with them they're so cool!" And then I randomly find out they considered me a friend all along once they just mention it casually and it makes me so stupidly happy even when it looked obvious to others, I'm talking about at least a week of happiness because you said "friend" while referring to me for the first time even though nothing between us actually changed between us and they just said the word friend for the first time

So, how do you guys without social anxiety or similar mental problem decide that someone is officially your friend and not just a person you know and how do you know the other person for sure feels the same and you're not forcing the label on them because maybe they didn't actually wanna be your friend and they're just naturally friendly or there are other explanations??