Studies Show Romantic Love Declines Over Time

We do almost everything for love. From the simple buying of roses to putting oneself in great debt just to have the money for her diamond ring. All sorts of sacrifices done to show how strongly we feel for someone. Wonderful words are expressed, gifts are given, and vows are made to seal each other's commitment. The whole package is there. But the question is, will all of these remain the same over time? Psychologists form an answer to this question, and are trying to find out the real deal about love's consistency by conducting a study.

Some people define love as eternal. While others say, it fades, as the relationship grows older. There are really a lot of things to consider about how long the spark of love can endure in a relationship. Italian scientists from the University of Pavia stated that a brain chemical causing the romantic feeling disappears over a year; which is why the emotions that we experience at the start of the relationship do not last. Dr. E. Emanuel and his co-researchers discovered that an increase in the level of a chemical called Nerve Growth Factor (NGF) is present among people who are in love.

They conducted an experiment focusing NGF levels to 58 subjects who are in love, together with two other groups consisting of singles, and those that are already in a long-term relationship. Findings show that NGF levels are significantly higher on those individuals in love as compared to the other two control groups. However, the result of 58 in love subjects also varies. 39 of them who have been together with their partners for 12-24 months have lower levels of NGF, as compared to the remaining 19 who just engaged themselves in a brand new relationship. Taking it all together, the experiment suggested that NGF level in the bloodstream is at its peak when the individual is newly in love but decreases after a year.

This study is clear with one thing - that romantic love declines as the relationship grows. It may have been proven from body chemicals or whatsoever but that doesn't mean that it's the gauge to measuring the consistency of love over time. If romantic love only last for a year, perhaps another type of love blossoms after that. Maybe something more intense. There is no way of telling really. But we all know that the concept of " keeping the love alive" does not instantly go with the relationship. Conscious efforts must be made so that the spark of love will endure all through out the span of time. Bring your precious girl to the place where you both dated for the first time or maybe give your man a surprise lap dance. Do anything just to keep the fire burning. In the long run, its companionship and trust that helps u both in the process of keeping the love going, making it last a lifetime.

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