For better or worse, people change over time and so do relationships. As much as we love the beginning of a new romance, we can’t make that feeling last forever and it’s normal for couples to experience ups and downs over time. There are actually five stages of love and certified relationship coach and psychologist Dr. Carmen Harra says lasting relationships go through the good and the bad phases, which can come with challenges. But when couples are committed to making it work, they get through them together and come out stronger.
Experts say these are the five stages of love couples go through:
- The Newlywed Stage- The early days of a new romance are always the best and you want to be around each other as much as possible. During this blissful time, dopamine levels surge and you can’t get enough of that high you feel from being with the person you’re falling for. But that’s why we ignore red flags in this phase.
- The Settling In Stage- This is when you get to know more about who your partner is as a person. The infatuation fades and you’re comfortable enough to show each other your true selves and start forming a real emotional connection.
- The Disappointment, Learning, And Growth Phase- As the name implies, this is a tough stage because it forces you to grow, as individuals and as a couple.
- The Comfortable Stage- By this point in the relationship, you’ve gotten into a routine and have hit the comfort zone. But you still want to keep things moving forward so you don’t get stuck in a boring rut.
- Unconditional Love- This is the phase when people can look past flaws and just share love. When couples reach this point, they know how to be forgiving and understanding and their feelings for their partner don’t change with the ups and downs of life.
Source:Bustle