Starting An Intimate Relationship

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We all want to believe in something bigger than ourselves, and in this case, it is love. Not the love from a parent, sibling, or friend, but an intimate relationship with the one person that could possibly last a lifetime. As Hal Kelley said, “A close relation is going to be one of strong, frequent, diverse interdependence that lasts over a considerable amount of time (Psychology M176: Families and Couples, Lecture 1, UCLA, 2009). This could easily be referred to bonds such as family, friends, love relationships, and intimate relationships. I cannot say one outweighs the other but I personally feel as if an intimate relationship stands out as we respond slightly physiologically different to it. In an intimate relationship, you may get a sexual…show more content…
When starting a relationship insecurities fade and bonds strengthen while togetherness is all couples care about. It is tempting to say, “Just listen to your heart,” but when it comes to starting a relationship, your mind plays an important role (Badenoch, B., & Bryson, T., 2009). The question of whether you he or she fits the quality of your imagined partner and vulnerability. As things progress couples began to participate in activities such as sexual intercourse and cohabitation. There are four types of cohabitation which include, engaged or pre-engaged, nonresidential daters, trial marriage, and substitute marriage. In fact, over 50% of married couples live together first, but most cohabiters do not go on to marry (Psychology M176: Families and Couples, Lecture 1, UCLA, 2009). Sparks between partners decrease as arguments may increase which lessens the likelihood that they would every want to become…show more content…
As these relationships progress or should I say “digress”, sex, positivity, and satisfaction still play an important role. In the beginning of an intimate relationship, sexual intercourse is well renounced but as time passes, the amount of sex descends. “Research was conducted where you place a penny in a jar every time you have sex during your first year of marriage. Then take one out every time you have sex after the first year. Supposedly you'll never empty the jar (Psychology M176: Families and Couples, Lecture 1, UCLA, 2009).” Also, due to stress and outside variables, positivity declines and unfortunately, negativity remains the same. However, the need for positive intimacy never fades and we can often see that older couples. Studies show that men are more likely to die than women, but that women suffer from higher levels of morbidity than men was widely discussed in the 1970 s and 1980 s (Nathanson, 1975 and Nathanson, 1977; Waldron, 1976 and Waldron, 1983; Verbrugge, 1979a), which may lead to health issues in the partner left behind. When you lose intimacy, your health decreases, which is why men are at increased risk of depression and women are at increased risk of poverty with the loss of their partner (Karney, 2003). Therefore, it is unlikely that the person whom you find intimacy with will be that same person in the
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