Stages of a Romantic Relationship
Most people engage in romantic relationships with no knowledge or expectation that their romantic liaison will go through significant changes if both partners commit to each other and go the distance.
There are at least three distinct stages that couples will experience as their relationship matures and it can be very helpful for couples who are stuck in one stage with no expectation or knowledge of the next stage. Many relationships fail because they don’t understand the lifecycle of a long-term relationship and unwittingly expect that romantic relationships will always look and feel the same as the years go by.
The First Stage: The Honeymoon Period
Most people would say this is their favorite period. Love is fresh, new and your lover can’t do anything wrong. It’s the time when chemicals take over and powerful hormones flood through our body; bonding chemicals like oxytocin are released during orgasm and we can’t keep our hands off of each other.
This is the time when limerence, defined as an involuntary obsession with another person, is the strongest. We have all seen the power of this obsessive relationship; it can cause people to leave their marriages, commit crimes, and start wars.
The honeymoon period is great, but the reality is it’s not sustainable. It typically lasts between…
