Title: The Viral TikTok Trend That's Taking the World by Storm: The "5 Stages Of Long-Term Relationships" Are you tired of scrolling through your TikTok feed and not knowing what to do with yourself? Well, good news! The latest trend is here and it involves dissecting the "5 Stages Of Long-Term Relationships". Everyone is doing it, so why not join the fun? But before you do, I did some research and consulted an expert in the field - a couples' therapist. Because let's be real, who knows more about long-term relationships than someone who gets paid to help people navigate them? So let's dive into the five stages, shall we? First up, we have the "honeymoon phase". You know, that magical time when everything is roses and sunshine and you think you've found your soulmate. In reality, it's just your brain releasing all those happy hormones and blinding you to all your partner's flaws. Next is "the power struggle". Ah yes, the phase when you start to realize that your partner isn't perfect and start arguing about everything from the toothpaste cap to the amount of time spent on video games. Fun times. After that comes "stabilization". This is when you finally accept that your partner isn't going to change and decide whether or not you can live with their quirks. Spoiler alert: probably not. Then we have "commitment". The stage when you decide to make things official and take the next step in your relationship. This usually involves a lot of compromise, sacrifice, and pretending to like each other's families. And finally, "co-creation". The stage when you and your partner work together to build a life together. This can include anything from buying a house to having kids to starting a business. It's all sunshine and rainbows from here on out, right? Well, not exactly. According to the couples' therapist I consulted, these stages are just a general guideline and every relationship is different. Plus, relationships are constantly evolving, so you might find yourself cycling through these stages multiple times throughout your relationship. So go ahead, hop on the TikTok trend and analyze your long-term relationship to the point of exhaustion. Or, you know, just enjoy the ride and see where it takes you.
