The 7 phases of crisis in a relationship

Every relationship has its ups and downs, I am convinced of that. Of course, there are those couples who proudly say ‘they never argue’, but I always wonder: is that really good? Sure, you shouldn't fight each other out of the house, but you don't always have to agree with each other. And exactly these are the couples that suddenly break up — or where one suddenly turns out to have an affair with someone who, for example, brings out the fiery side in the other.

This is of course an extreme example, because in most relationships the path to a break-up is very gradual. In fact, according to psychologists, it is a seven-step plan. So pay close attention to the following situations, because it might be time to ring the alarm.

Phase 1: The infatuation is over
That doesn't have to be so bad, but it is when you suddenly see your partner's shortcomings and start to get annoyed by them.

Phase 2: You fall into a rut
This phase lurks when you live together and have somewhat morphed into one person. You lose a bit of your identity and become restless.

Phase 3: Pressure around the family
This can be your family, your in-laws, or ‘your’ family. This is accompanied by many little arguments at home about who does what and all the obligations surrounding your parents.

Phase 4: Infatuation or lust for someone else
Infatuation doesn't necessarily have to lead to cheating, but it is lurking. Try to communicate well with your partner and not change too much because you feel that you should for the other.

Phase 5: Sadness
There comes a moment in your relationship when you have to deal with sadness, for example due to the loss of a loved one. How you handle this sadness can be very telling for your relationship. Here too, communication is key; you should not avoid the sadness.

Phase 6: Midlife crisis
Well, sooner or later many will have to deal with that. It's easy to give in to various impulses, but that's not the smartest way. The smarter way is to dig deeper: where does this restlessness actually come from?

Phase 7: Looking back at the past
The longer you are together, the more you have experienced. You might regret the things you haven't done. You might even start to blame your partner for that. Seeking help in accepting missed opportunities is really no shame; you can actually benefit a lot from it.

Source: Psychologie Magazine