intimacy

Marriage ends up as a hopeful, generous, infinitely kind gamble taken by two people who don’t know yet who they are or who the other might be, binding themselves to a future they cannot conceive of and have carefully avoided investigating.

how love bombing begins: with an emotional high that quickly turns into a confusing crash. Once dependency sets in, the dynamic can shift dramatically, leaving someone feeling off balance and unsure of what just happened.

Don’t take the differences personally

The problem is that before marriage, we rarely delve into our complexities. Whenever casual relationships threaten to reveal our flaws, we blame our partners and call it a day

Containment — “A military strategy to stop the expansion of an enemy. It is best known as the Cold War policy of the United States and its allies to prevent the spread of communism abroad.”

that sustained proximity is the best route to the soul of someone; that unscripted gestures at unexpected junctures yield sweeter rewards than scripted ones on date night; that the “I love you” that counts most isn’t whispered with great ceremony on a hilltop in Tuscany. No, it slips out casually, spontaneously, in the produce section or over the

Phases of Love Bombing Idealization Phase

This is the “wow” stage. You’re praised, adored, and told you’re unlike anyone else (well, you are unlike anyone else, but still). Things feel effortless with this person, and they might say things like “I’ve never felt this way before” after only a few dates. It can feel magical, but it’s also moving at a

biggest red flag is just how fast everything is happening. What relationship therapists say is that healthy love has room to breathe.