From what I've seen, think of it as greatly amplifying the variance of the friendship. I've seen it break friendships in rare cases, and in the median case I've

From what I've seen, think of it as greatly amplifying the variance of the friendship. I've seen it break friendships in rare cases, and in the median case I've seen it build friendships to the point where people are often as close family members. It is a deep bonding experience in the purest sense, with all of the good and bad that that entails. A significant positive: You have a lot of information about your friend's integrity and values. A maybe-negative: You will probably feel somewhat less comfortable grabbing a beer and talking about whatever is on your mind, at least for the first few years.