Yeah, I bet you think he's really charming.

I'm sure he sweeps you off your feet, makes you feel like you're the most important girl on the planet. You're treated like a princess, and you spend most of your time with him. Your friends liked him at first, but you slowly stop hanging out with them to put more time into your schedule for him. You might not realize it, but what he's doing to you isn't okay. He shouldn't be excluding you from the world around you, especially if he doesn't treat you well.

But you love him.

But don't you see he's taking advantage of you? He's tearing you away from your whole life. I know, you can't stand to bear another minute without being in his arms.

This is a common trend nowadays. It's incredibly hard for some people to keep a balance between a new boyfriend/girlfriend and their friends, and even other responsibilities, such as work, or school. Your mom might ask you, "Hey, why don't you and so-and-so ever hang out anymore?" Then you start to realize, "Wow, maybe I haven't hung out with them in awhile," "I miss so-and-so," "I wonder why we drifted apart so much."

It is so important to have a healthy social balance. Friends are so important, whether you realize it or not. They will be there for you during the good and during the bad. They're a shoulder to cry on when you need it. They're there for hours of laughter and years of friendship. Sometimes, it's hard to imagine your life without your friends.

Please don't leave them in the dust for your new significant other. They're happy for you and your new found happiness and love, but when you start to drift away from them, they might start to question how much of a priority they are to you. Friends don't like when their friends don't make them feel valued or important. And trust me, they need you too.

They want the best for you. If your friends see that you are being mistreated hear them out. Don't shut them out just because you don't like what they're saying to you. They're here to tell you the truth and want what will make you happy. Make sure to always hear them out.

As someone who has fallen victim to this a few years back, I urge other people to keep balance in their life. There's nothing wrong with wanting to spend time with your significant other, but when the time rolls around where you feel like you might need a girls night out, don't be surprised when your friends shun you because you haven't been hanging out with them often. Your boyfriend might love you, but he probably won't sit around and paint each other's nails and watch chick flicks with you all day while sipping on wine and gossiping.

Never abandon your friends! They want to see you happy, but they also want to see you around. Don't forget about them, and you'll see a better balance in your life. Split your day into two if you need to. Spread the love!!!