Love is a complex emotion that can warm your heart and capture your soul. It’s the inspiration for many songs and the topic of countless essays. However, when writing about it, it’s important to consider the many facets of love, especially since it can mean different things to different people.

Some of the more well-known types of love include romantic, familial, and friendship. However, love can also refer to our feelings for non-human animals, principles, and religious beliefs.

Romantic love is a feeling of deep affection and attachment that develops as a result of a strong attraction between two people. This type of love is usually accompanied by feelings of excitement, jealousy, and trust. It can be a life-changing experience that transforms your whole perspective on relationships and the world.

Studies have shown that when you are in love, the reward centers of your brain — particularly the ventral tegmental area and caudate nucleus — fire like crazy. This can lead to a desire to spend more time with your loved one, and even make sacrifices for them. Additionally, you may find their quirks or imperfections endearing rather than annoying. It is easy to fall into this sort of emotional trap, which can cause problems in a relationship if not managed properly.

In the beginning stages of romance, you may feel completely devoted to your partner and eager to help them through any obstacle. This is because of the hormones involved in falling in love, which can make you think you want to give everything for them. But over time, this type of love can fade into another one or just disappear altogether. Alternatively, it can transform into companionate love, which is more stable and mature.

Companionate love involves a mutually beneficial relationship, with each person helping the other through difficult times and supporting them in their goals. Often, this type of love is a good foundation for a long-term relationship.

Even the most smitten of lovers can experience days or weeks where they aren’t feeling quite so gushy. Fortunately, this is totally normal and is a part of the process of loving someone.

You might also notice that the intensity of your feelings changes as you grow closer to a person, as they change your expectations and priorities and become more integrated into your life. You can manage these changes by using strategies such as situation selection (avoiding or seeking situations that make you feel a certain way), expression suppression, and cognitive reappraisal. These strategies can reduce or prevent the recurrence of negative emotions, such as anger and anxiety.