6 Stages of Having a Crush

For years, psychologists have been trying their best to understand the mystery of love and unpack all the complex processes that govern attraction and romantic relationships. And even after decades of countless studies on why we fall in love, fall out of love, stay in relationships, and crave romantic attachments, there’s still a lot left for us to learn, especially when it comes to the earliest stage of love — having a crush. So, here are 6 Stages of Having a Crush!

Related Video(s):
8 Psychological Facts About Crushes

7 Stages of Falling In Love With Your Best Friend

7 Types of Healthy Crushes

Credits
Writer: Chloe Avenasa
Script Editor: Kelly Soong
VO: Amanda Silvera
Music & Sound Design: Urban Goose Studios
Animator: Amelia
YouTube Manager: Cindy Cheong

Reference
Seiffge-Krenke, I. (2003). Testing theories of romantic development from adolescence to young adulthood: Evidence of a developmental sequence. International Journal of Behavioral Development, 27(6), 519-531.

Fox, J., & Anderegg, C. (2014). Romantic relationship stages and social networking sites: Uncertainty reduction strategies and perceived relational norms on Facebook. Cyberpsychology, Behavior, and Social Networking, 17(11), 685-691.

Connolly, J., Nguyen, H. N., Pepler, D., Craig, W., & Jiang, D. (2013). Developmental trajectories of romantic stages and associations with problem behaviours during adolescence. Journal of adolescence, 36(6), 1013-1024.

Brumbaugh, C. C., & Fraley, R. C. (2006). The evolution of attachment in romantic relationships. Dynamics of romantic love: Attachment, caregiving, and sex, ed. M. Mikulincer & GS Goodman, 71-101.

[Psychgo]

Instead of crushing on someone right now, is anyone curious on how to make some cloud cake this weekend? :)

[imthehottestokay]

my stages:
1. denial
2. denial
3. denial
4. we don't talk anymore


edit: the guy I was talking about in this, we're dating now

[evauwu]

I have only 2 stages:
1. Falling in love
2. They don't like me back.

[samchiu]

1. Denial
2. Anger
3. Bargaining
4. Depression
5. Acceptance
6. Infatuation

[ceeigqp]

My stage:
Dreams about them constantly. Watches all the shows they love even if I don't think the shows are that great. Constantly talks about how brilliant they are to every sentient being in sight . Day dreams about them until my cat stops me.

[creamcheese]

My stages:
1. Denial
2. More denial
3. Realization. "Oh frick, I *do* like them"
4. Simping but from afar
5. More simping but from afar
6. Thinking of how I can interact with them even if it's very small and stupid
7. Failing
8. Continuing to be a simp for 2 more years

[jokermain]

This is incorrect, the real stages are

1. Having a crush
2. Being a simp
3. Getting rejected
4. Dying inside

[mirandazhu]

This is me and my journey of way too much crushes:
Stage 1: Attraction
Stage 2: Smiling at them way too much
Stage 3: Do anything to be with them- even if it's a 'coincidence'
Stage 4: Staring at them a lot and laughing when it's not even funny
Stage 5: LOADS OF BUTTERFLIES EVEN THEY JUST LOOK AT YOU
Stage 6: Obsession
Stage 7: TOO OBSESSED
Stage 8: (I always had to leave, schools/ classes etc.) So I had to get over them
Stage 9: Review our memories and have a small cry if they were really attractive but I had to leave
Stage 10: Happy that I got over them but like sometimes just laughing with my friends why I had a crush on them b4
Stage 11: Finally got over them and only good memory remains
Stage 12: Starts all over again

[TheFrenchMan]

I swear, every major crush I’ve had, I came to this channel. Thank you so much :)

[rsquare]

crushes are even worse when the person you're crushing on is taken.

Edit: Wow, I did not expect so many people to agree with this 😂

[leaves]

You guys forgot the "this is gonna hurt like a bitch"

[analyticsystem]

I’ve made it to stage 5 with my best friend, now partner who I’ve had a crush on for 4-5 years now and never really realized it until recently. I didn’t pick up on those feelings when we first became friends since I was already dating someone at the time but now that I’ve grown up and matured a bit, I’ve realized my feelings for them and they reciprocated so now we’re dating

[Urmommy-fdin]

My Stages
1.) im already friends with them and i start to like them
2.) tell my other friends about them
3.) flirt with them for a while
4.) find out they like me and I tell them I like them back
5.) we date
6.) we break up bc we fall out of love

[purplepanda]

My six stages:
1. Oh I think I like this person
2. They don’t like me, it could never work out.
3. You know what, I don’t like them. I just think about them a lot.
4. Actually I think I might like them.
5. Deny, deny, deny
6. Repeat
Anyone else like this?

Edit: thanks for the likes! This reassures me that I’m not a complete weirdo haha

[vviviann]

stage 2: curiousity
_also known as: _*_stalking._* 💀💀

[djkzrocksta]

My stages:
(1): Just friends
(2): You noticing they may be interested in you
(3): A very good chance they are
(4): You start falling for them
(5): You start falling harder but you too can’t be together
(6): Have to move away
(7): Your life feels empty without them
(8): You eventually find a way to contact them
(9): You ask your friends to send him letters for me to him
(10): You eventually cave in and tell him (hoping he hasn’t lost feelings for you)
(11): Go with the flow whatever happens next(that’s a lie I’ll probably be heart broken but ugh)

[BrownieTheCat_]

"A lot of people deny or debate with their feelings first before they can accept them, but the moment you do you;; suddenly feel the pull of romantic attraction" This hit me like a truck, I just recently went from "I probably dont have a crush on this person" to "ok I have a crush on this person" this morning I was hit with a wave of happiness in my spine, something I haven't felt for literal years since my last crush rejected me.... the only reason I was denying my feelings was because I didn't feel this wave, but now.... I feel so happy to feel those butterflies again.

[lil_faygo]

*How my day starts:*
1) Go to school
2) Talk with crush
3) Confess feelings to crush
4) Crush likes me back
5) I wake up ready for the real day

[bettybetty]

What is it called when your crush likes you back?
I M A G I N A T I O N

[fairy.nyon]

for me its like:
1. seeing her for the first time
2. the same second thinking shes so so pretty
3. getting to know her and starting to be more and more in love with her personalty and looks and voice
4. obsession
5. total obsession
6. obsession to the point i think of her 24/7 and get blushed and butterflies even when i only think of her (current stage)