Stages in Relationships
Just as children go through normal, predictable stages of development, so do relationships. And just as it is helpful for parents to understand their children by understanding the phases of development, so it is helpful for couples to know the stages of relationships, know which one they are in and thereby see what is happening from a perspective of intelligence and wisdom. The Enchantment Stage Most love relationships start off in what is usually called the "Romantic" phase or the "Enchantment" phase. It is a wonderful phase. The brain secretes a special endorphin in this phase that makes the lovers feel happy, complete, alive, and very positive. When you are "in love" you literally are on drugs. In this phase the partners want to spend lots of time with each other (that's when the endorphin gets secreted and the partners want that wonderful feeling). When we are "in love" and on endorphins, we actually feel different, respond differently an...