Love is a complex emotion that requires time, effort and commitment. Regardless of your relationship status, you will benefit from a more fulfilling life if you make the most of your relationships.
Getting Started on the Road to Relationship Success
The first step in building a loving relationship is to get to know your partner better and trust that the process will take time. It is important to be open and honest with your partner about how you feel, as well as what you hope for in a future relationship.
Understanding Different Types of Love
Psychologists have identified three main styles of love, namely mania, pragma and agape. Some people may have a combination of these styles.
Mania is characterized by intense feelings for a partner and worries about commitment. It often includes a desire for physical intimacy and sexual desire. It also can include a lack of concern for one’s own needs and goals.
Pragma is a mature type of love that develops after a long time. It is a more honorable form of love as it takes years to craft and can involve deep respect for the other person.
Agape is a more selfless type of love that doesn’t rely on physical intimacy or sex to establish emotional closeness. It is based on empathy and the idea that you are sacrificing your own desires for the other person’s happiness.
A study published in the journal Motivation and Emotion found that people who are in love have much lower activity in their frontal cortex – an area of the brain that is crucial for reasoning and judgment – when thinking about their loved one. This is believed to be caused by elevated levels of dopamine, a neurotransmitter that helps to increase focus and attention.