Falling in love, it’s what causes you to throw all forms of common sense out the window because the overwhelming feeling in your gut makes no sense. It is a guilty pleasure in the form of a human, and you can’t get enough of them.

The time you used to spend doing homework is now full of fiddling fingers over a screen and a goofy little smile on your face. Plans with your friends don’t happen as often anymore because they aren’t half as interested in you as your boyfriend/girlfriend is.

We need to stop letting love get the best of us; our generation has created what was a fine line between healthy and toxic into a tiny strand that’s far too easy to cross.

What spurred this thought was that I have seen far too many friendships lost and hearts broken for all the wrong reasons. We shouldn’t give so much power to our relationship that it blinds us from seeing when it's all going wrong.

The truth is seeing someone requires just as much space as it requires quality time. People who spend every second of every day with the other forget that time should be put towards themselves, friends and family also.

I remember my first relationship was pure infatuation. After it all ended, I recognized what I had become.

I no longer had a boyfriend, friends or a real connection with my family.

It took many months of reconciliation to gain my friends back, and I saw how much I really needed them. They were the ones that I needed there to tell me when things became unhealthy.

Friends are there to let you know that maybe your boyfriend/girlfriend should not be saying certain things to you, such as telling you what to wear. Small little details, that when in love, can be justified because you love them.

After gaining my friends back, I seemed to find myself, which I never actually knew I lost. Decisions weren’t being made for me anymore, and I had time for things I loved to do with the people I needed.

I put time towards my hobbies, school and the people around me. My family was happy to see my devotion to things for myself.

I was happy and found love for myself.

I now see my friends making the same mistakes allowing their boyfriend/girlfriend to be a little too controlling, and it becomes a habit. Some spend too much time with each other--forgetting that the world doesn’t just revolve around their love.

Others lack love for themselves and let insecurities get the best of them with jealousy targeting even their closest friends.

It’s sad to see the people around me not allowing themselves to grow or really think about their situations. Love is beautiful, but love can also be dangerous.

We need to let go of the poison that is our idea of it and look past the heart eye emojis.