Each pair must go through several phases of a relationship in order to establish a solid and enduring connection. Understanding these phases may help couples better understand their relationship and what they need to focus on to make it stronger, even if they are not necessarily linear and couples may find themselves going through them again. Every phase of a relationship—from the first spark to the construction of a solid and lasting partnership—brings its own set of difficulties and chances for development. The four major phases of a relationship are described by therapist Elizabeth Earnshaw in a recent Instagram post.
Earnshaw claims that as we come to know one another, our relationships go through distinct phases. They sometimes go through certain phases while we might get quite stuck in others.
According to Elizabeth Earnshaw, there are four stages to relationships:
In the early stages of infatuation, our brain produces hormones like oxytocin, often known as the bonding hormone, which makes us feel comfortable, at ease, and less stressed, as well as dopamine, which signals pleasure and satisfaction while we are with the other person. This has the effect of momentarily impairing our capacity to think logically, allowing us to miss important facts or warning signals. We may be more susceptible as a result to future unfavorable effects.
Realization
As time goes on, the influence of the hormones that cause love diminishes and we start to see our spouse for who they really are, which might be both good and bad. We can sometimes even wonder whether our early perceptions were true. We risk being stuck in this stage if we fight this awareness and try to shape our spouse into the perfect version of themselves.
Tension
Conflicts may emerge when we discuss our differences with our partners at this stage. We can wonder whether this person is really the right one for us, and repressed feelings and ideas might come to the surface. Some relationships go through a prolonged period of stress as they try to reconcile their differences and find it difficult to forget past wrongs or accept one another’s differences. As a consequence, people could find it challenging to treat one another with respect.
Acceptance
Couples may now choose to accept one another’s flaws or participate in ongoing fights. This is the stage of acceptance, when partners embrace one another as distinctive people and give up any romanticized ideas of the union in favor of concentrating on the reality of their own connection.
Relationships go through a number of phases and are dynamic processes. Couples may overcome obstacles and establish a solid and healthy relationship by being aware of these phases.
