 Hey, Psych2Goers, welcome back to our channel. Have you noticed how relationships change over time? The course of a relationship is like a river. We all fall in love differently. Some relationships start with an obstacle, others start with distance. Whether or not you started dating or have been married for years, you can experience the following phases in no specific order. So with that said, here are five phases of a relationship. Number one, the meeting. In every romantic film, this is the part where you meet. In this phase, there's attraction. You're not really sure what draws you to that person, but you are interested. So you fall into conversation and start getting to know the basics of each other. Job, hobbies, etc. There's little to no emotional intimacy at this point. But the meeting stage encompasses the entire time you two get to know each other. The casual dates and so on. During this time, you both scope out whether it's worth developing this relationship. This is when the what are we question pops up. The answer determines whether you develop a relationship or part ways. Are you looking for a diverse collection of audiobooks with titles from your favorite authors? We'd like to give a big thank you to our sponsor for this video, Audible. Audible offers the largest election of audiobooks ever to be seen in one place. There are thousands of titles to choose from with new releases constantly being added. And with the Audible membership, you'll receive one credit per month to put towards any item in the premium collection. This is great for those of you looking for that new hot release, a title from your bucket list, or the latest bestseller. One of my favorite things about Audible is that they have many options dedicated to improving your mental health. This includes things like dynamic exercises that help you connect to healing emotions and ease, anxiety, and depression. My personal favorite is, it's not always depression. You'll find out the root of your anxiety and why all emotions, including pain, have value. So check it out. And right now, for a limited time offer, save 60% off your first three months on Audible. That's only $5.95 a month. Whether it's for you or for a friend, the gift of listening is the perfect present. Visit audible.com slash psych2go or text psych2go to 500 500. Sign up now for 30 days free from Audible and start listening to everything you love. Two, the honeymoon phase. A relationship begins after the getting to know you phase and you've decided to enter into a relationship. You're both starting to open up and be vulnerable. Fund dates will evolve into intimate dinners and long conversations. Oxytocin, dopamine, and endorphin levels in your body will increase and you'll want to spend every second with that person. The honeymoon phase is characterized by deep feelings of infatuation and the desire to be together. Boundaries will fall away and lead to deeper emotional and physical intimacy. But basking in each other's love can make you both ignore the realities of who you really are. During this phase, we all tend to idealize our partners and sometimes ignore red flags. Three, doubts. After the honeymoon, you're met with reality. During this stage, some of the traits you found enduring or attractive cease to captivate your heart. You also start to notice differences between the two of you and you may begin to feel distant. This is the phase that sometimes ends relationships. Your expectation of your partner doesn't match who they are. You both may begin feeling stressed and start to clash. Your stress response may dictate how things will play out in this phase. Some pick fights to establish their dominance while others withdraw. The best course of action is to work on conflict management. Learn how to de-escalate problems and tackle challenges head on as a team. Conflicts don't have to spell the end of a relationship. It just means that you both have different perspectives and ideas you both need to respect and learn to show that you love each other. Four, disillusionment. At this point, the conflicts and issues that have arisen throughout the relationship are on the table. The passion you both felt during the early stages has disappeared and neither of you know if the relationship should continue. But what you choose to do in this stage determines the longevity of your relationship. Some couples choose to ignore them and continue to grow distant. Others fight and eventually exhaust themselves. However, this phase is not the end and can serve as an opportunity for you and your partner to renew the commitment you have for each other and change how things currently are. All the fighting can make you both reluctant to show each other affection. But do it anyway and show your partner that you appreciate them and that you're glad that they're in your life. Our minds tend to focus on negative things, so you could miss out on all the reasons that your relationship is worth saving. And number five, decision. This is the climax of the movie and of the relationship because this is the part where you decide whether to stay or leave. You may feel like no matter how hard you both try, the relationship doesn't feel like it used to. Things feel stale and you no longer see your partner as the person you fell in love with. You contemplate leaving and starting again with someone else. But no matter how many times you've played in your mind how you're going to dump them, something keeps you from doing it. If you choose to stay, you need to be willing to work on your relationship. This means learning how to communicate effectively and understanding your role. This is where you both learn how to love. We all say I love you and feel love, but we rarely learn how to love. Love is a choice that does not change regardless of the phase your relationship is in. If you and your partner need help, please reach out to a licensed relationship counselor or therapist. Can you relate to any of these phases? Let us know in the comments and please share this video with someone who might benefit. As always, the references and studies are listed in the description below. We'll see you next time. Take care.