The Scientific Reason The ‘Honeymoon Phase’ Goes Away

Why does the honeymoon phase at the beginning of a relationship end? Scientists may have found the answer by studying our brains in love.


Thanks to our sponsor Kay Jewelers for supporting DNews! -

Read More:
What Falling in Love Does to the Brain
"In one small study, researchers looked at magnetic resonance images of the brains of 10 women and seven men who claimed to be deeply in love. The length of their relationships ranged from one month to less than two years. Participants were shown photographs of their beloved, and photos of a similar-looking person."

Everlasting Love: Science Proves Initial Passion Is Far From Fleeting
"With all the talk of cougars, starter wives, and sugar daddies floating around these days-not to mention sky-high divorce rates-conventional wisdom is that the initial passion that brings two people together simply cannot last. Monogamous, till-death-do-us-part love is out of fashion. However, a recent study is doing its part to reverse that common outlook and bring a little bit of hope to those still wishing to grow old with someone."

Love and the Brain
"When we are falling in love, chemicals associated with the reward circuit flood our brain, producing a variety of physical and emotional responses-racing hearts, sweaty palms, flushed cheeks, feelings of passion and anxiety. Levels of the stress hormone cortisol increase during the initial phase of romantic love, marshaling our bodies to cope with the "crisis" at hand."
____________________

DNews is dedicated to satisfying your curiosity and to bringing you mind-bending stories & perspectives you won't find anywhere else! New videos daily.









Special thanks to Julian Huguet for hosting and writing this episode of DNews!

[Wolf]

True love is less about feelings and more about helping each other when times get tough.

[ForzaTerra]

That intense obsessive early start has made me feel so out of control and really like there was something wrong with me and this has made me feel so much more normal. My feelings weren’t returned to close to the same intensity and I felt all the things he described. It became abusive in the end and I left but it’s been incredibly hard, I 100% can see why people stay in abusive relationships because of these tricks your brain places on you.

I’m happy to see this because it’s made me feel normal, he just said I was needy/clingy because I felt I was obsessive even though I would never try and force him to spend time with me. Love is blind, or at least this early stage is

[syriosf]

Lol the Eminem line in the start, I was eating and I almost choked

[pinkyring]

Pretty simple, youve known and loved them for longer. Just like a new thing, the longer you have it the less excited etc.

[jackpullen]

" IN LOVE " is based on feelings and feelings always change over time. To choose to Love is the better and lasting way, also you will find over time you will fall in love again with that same person many times. " Unless a seed falls to the ground and dies...", so we find love is a choice of free will. Brain chemistry changes all the time and in times you can not depend on it you just have to use your will power!

[Master_Therion]

Last year I was dating a YouTuber and thought I was falling in love. But she told me "it's just a Phase, bro."

[kaciekk]

I've never fallen "in love". that's okay. I have friends, that's all I need.

[Saimeren]

What if I don't really get out of that honeymoon stage? I think that's why I'm still single. My partners all loose that feeling, but I don't, and they end up leaving because of it.

[owensilvant]

your so good you made your whole crowd go so lowed and when you opened your mouth the words did come out

[DarkKnight-uzos]

God, I thought love was the only thing my heart can feel, but the fucking brain has all the fun

[davidsims]

Wonderful advice, i have a friend who has been separated for 11 months but a month later, she got with some Venezuelan boy, then they messed around and had a one night stand, and had a baby, then they got married 3 weeks ago, now she doesn't even know this guy from a can of paint. Now, they are living that "Rebound Honeymoon Life" .

[JAYDUBYAH]

you just summarized a Helen Fisher TED talk from around 7 years ago.

[williambernholm]

That intro doe!!!! Thanks for the scinence!!!

[photosinensis]

No wonder I have issues with infatuation. I already have issues with low serotonin and high cortisol. That makes me prone to obsession anyway (usually it takes the form of being obsessed with facts or stories--things that are genuinely harmless).

And when I suffer through infatuation, well, it's a disaster that almost invariably leads to a major depressive episode.

[Metalshark]

"you tell her you can cook but you can only make spaghetti" hahahaha that was awesome! love the reference XD

[MrZAP]

Is there a way to cut out the honeymoon way of thinking before getting together for awhile? I don't want infatuation to impede my judgment and think compatibility exists when it doesn't. No time for that.

[dreamingflurry]

LAT - my answer to keeping the spark alive!

No daily grind in the relationship, no wearing each other down by constant fighting about who does the cooking or who's taking out the trash etc. (also: No fighting about money because everybody has to pay his/her own bills and no fighting about how to spend the rest of the money (the disposable income!) either!)

If you spend time with each other: No bullshit, no interruptions (unless it's an emergency) etc. - you'll get ready like for a date during the courting phase etc...

I mean this living close together BS is a recent thing (at least for reasonably wealthy people and especially for the rich and for nobles!), ages ago husband and wife had their own wing of the mansion or even their own house altogether (so why not do it like the rich if you can? It seems to work quite well!)

[HeythemMD]

I never fell head-over-heels over anyone...

[notapotato_]

If I can cook spaghetti, I can still cook 😭😭

[djy]

That Slim Shady reference was priceless