Stages of a relationship - falling in love
“The prince got the princess and they lived happily ever after.”
Falling in love can be a very strong feeling. It makes you think that something new and unique is happening. You may not even be able to sleep as you just think of the other. Time seems to crawl when separated.
The stage of falling in love includes a strong need to belong together and find intimacy with another person. We have a basic need to establish lasting attachment relationships; need to create intimacy, to belong together. A sense of belonging together removes the feeling of loneliness and emptiness.
The state of falling in love is also marked by a certain way of seeing the other. The loved one is seen in a very positive light and expectations for them are positive; you are lovely. The other is like a canvas to which you can project your own images of your ideal partner. It is easy to fall in love with this ideal partner.
You can think of falling in love as a mother nature’s trick to get people together, to reproduce, and to create the conditions for a relationship to develop and thus face new development challenges. A working relationship is a great place to grow and develop.
The stage of falling in love lasts for a while, but at some point the “drug disappears”. However, this is not a sign of a wrong choice, but is part of the natural course of a relationship. It indicates that the relationship is moving forward towards the independence stage.
Authors: Relationship Experts, the Family Federation of Finland