Everyone has experienced love, a beautiful emotion. Still, beyond the butterfly in your belly, rush of emotion, and romance, love can be expressed differently and with other people. Understanding the different types of relationship can help you navigate your dealings with people, understand your priorities, and know where to draw the boundaries.
Love can be expressed in various forms, from passionate romance to deep friendships. Every kind of love impacts who we are and ultimately affects how we relate with the people around us. Let’s go straight into the different type of love relationships there are and get ready for an exciting adventure.
8 Different Types of Love Relationships You Must Know
As mentioned earlier, there are different types of love relationships. These different types of relationships share similarities in affection and care but have varying modes of expression and intensity. Let's look at the different type of relationship.
1. Eros (Romantic Love)
This different type of relationship is the kind most people are familiar with. Eros is between two romantic partners, often associated with passion, intense love that usually sparks at the beginning of a relationship. In this type of love, a strong physical attraction and emotional connection are felt and experienced.
Eros is named after the Greek god of love and represents lovers' fiery, consuming desire for each other. This kind of love can get intense, with each party feeling exhilarated; however, it needs careful nurturing as the flame can die off without proper care.
2. Philia (Affectionate Love)
Philia is love between friends. This type of love is platonic, with mutual respect, shared values, and deep companionship as the hallmarks of the relationships. Philia is developed over a long period and is often considered one of the most constant and lasting kinds of love.
Unlike Eros, Philia is not based on physical attractiveness but on a link created by shared experiences and trust, which is true for this type of love. This form of love plays an essential role in psychic and emotional health!
3. Storge (Familial Love)
It is the love parents feel for their children and vice versa. It is an inborn and constant love manifested through intense feelings of affection and a duty to fulfil parental obligations and responsibilities.
Storge takes shape naturally and typically serves as the basis when individuals have interacted with love. The love is lasting and offers security and the sense of being part of a society.
Storge can also be seen among siblings and other family members, strengthening the significance of the relationships with loved ones.
4. Agape (Selfless Love)
Agape is a selfless, unconditional love that transcends personal gain or gratification. It seeks the well-being of others without expecting anything in return. Agape is frequently represented as a spiritual love and is available through people receiving compassion and showing kindness to humanity.
This kind of love is about self-giving, sacrifice, achieving your goals through charity, and giving and being expectant. Agape love may be the most exacting kind of love to practice consistently, but it is regarded as the best of all.
5. Ludus (Playful Love)
Ludus refers to a sort of love that can be regarded as playful and teasing, like walking in the early stage of a love affair. It is best described as joy, excitement, and adventure. Ludus is the state of mind that people desire to be, not only through being, but also through dealing with the moment and having fun together.
This kind of love is usually light flirting, teasing, and being happy about the company of someone without any serious intentions. Although Ludus can be fun and adventurous, it is often of short duration and may not be converted into a lasting relationship.
6. Pragma (Enduring Love)
Pragma is the kind of love that grows practically and becomes enduring in the long run. It manifests itself mainly in long and/or solid relationships or marriages and is characterized by mutual respect, understanding, and shared goals.
Pragma fosters a relationship in which the partners must make sacrifices, be patient, and work together to make it work. This will require a man's commitment to the ongoing relationship while the woman also commits; hence, there will be cohabitation.
Pragma is not about passion but the sense of responsibility and the partnership built on a deeply emotional relationship. Pragma may also demand a lot of time, thought and adherence to the specified norms, but in the end, it gives one a sense of stability and peace within a relationship.
7. Mania (Obsessive Love)
Mania is a love characterized by intense emotional highs and lows, and it can even turn into a sick obsession with owning the other half of the relationship. Mania introduces issues of dependence, jealousy, and the insatiable need for constant affirmation.
Mania can be too much and create problems if not managed correctly. This kind of affection may make them dependent on their mates, which may lead to abnormal traits and relationship dynamics. Accurately identifying and doing away with Mania is necessary if the couple desires a stable and fulfilling relationship.
8. Philautia (Self-love)
This is the love we show ourselves through. To be more precise, it is how we respect ourselves, take care of ourselves, and recognize our value. There are two types of Philautia-healthy and unhealthy.
A healthy self-love means that you accept yourself and are grateful for all the positive things you have, while unhealthy self-love could mean that you are dangerously close to narcissism.
The practice of Philautia is essential to good mental and emotional health and determines how we treat ourselves and others. Our love of self is the starting point for other types of love, enabling us to love and be loved better. Master this and master the different types of relationship.
Ways to Apply Different Types of Love Relationships in Real Life
It is not enough to know the different type of love relationships; you must also know how to apply them in your everyday interaction with people around you.
- Incorporate Philia along with Eros into your relationships.
Relationships encompass healthy unions of Eros (erotic love) and Philia (friendship love). Creating a good friendship with your partner can be the backbone of your relationship, allowing it to continue after the point where it emerged.
- Let Agape be the Bond Love in Kindness
A way to benefit every relationship you have is by exercising Agape love. Generosity and empathy can fortify the connections with all the people important to you: family, friends, and strangers.
- Build Pragma in a Long-Term Relationship.
Mutual focus on building Pragma is a very effective way to build long-term relationships. We must let go of our interests, cherish their preferences, and work on those targets together. The pragmatic aspect plays a key role in maintaining a connection of stability and endurance.
- Identification and Regulation of Mania.
If you witness any symptoms of obsessive or possessive behaviours (Mania) in yourself or your partner, then you must confront them directly. Professional help or counselling can be a good way to deal with these intense emotions and create a blossoming relationship.
- Practicing Philautia Regularly
Self-love (Philautia) is the correct way of treating oneself to achieve a state of well-being. Find time for self-care activities, set yourself some limits, and show yourself compassion. You have to start with self-love first, which is the basis of your happiness and success in relationships and in life. Then, working on the other types of love will bring peace and happiness.
Conclusion
Knowing the various love relationships an individual can experience has the unique property of providing us with the details of connection. However, all kinds of love, from the passionate Eros and the selfless Agape to the Meyerian love, have their role in our lives.
We can develop solid and deeper interpersonal relationships by paying attention to and caring for our many kinds of love. Regardless, the equilibrium of intimacy and friendship, virtue with selfless love, and efficacy in establishing long-term commitments are the practical acts of embracing these love types to enrich and bond with your close circles in life.
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FAQs
What kind of relationship is best?
Healthy relationships are best described as interdependent. Interdependence means you rely on each other for mutual support while maintaining your identity as a unique individual. In other words, your relationship is balanced. You know you have their approval and love, but your self-esteem doesn't depend on them.
What is the #1 relationship rule?
The study revealed one crucial rule: A stable relationship requires a positive-to-negative interaction ratio of approximately 5:1. For every negative interaction, there should be at least five positive interactions.
Which kind of relationship lasts longer?
Relationships based on trust because trust is the most important predictor of long-term relationship success. A relationship will not be strong without trust between the partners.
What are the top 3 types of love?
There's the first, young love, the second, more tumultuous love, and the third, long-lasting love. This theory explores how people learn and grow through their relationships and invites you to take a more critical look at the people you've been intimate with (and maybe intimate with in the future)