The three components of love, therefore, interact in different ways. The way they oscillate, differ and intertwine creates the seven types of love, according to experts. These types of love can also vary throughout a relationship.
Love… between friends
This type of love occurs when the physical contact or pleasure component is present. Still, passion or commitment in the romantic sense is lacking.
Passionate love
As the name suggests, this type of love is dominated by physical attraction with intense passion. However, it lacks commitment and the component of physical contact, of deep emotional connection between partners. The latter may, however, occur in some relationships after the passionate love phase.
Empty love
Some relationships are characterised by commitment but without passion and physical contact. Depending on culture and upbringing, this is still the case, for example, in areas where it is still the practice to marry. It can happen, however, that an arranged marriage starts empty, but the couple builds a beautiful, full and deep relationship.
Sometimes, however, a beautiful, complete relationship can degrade after changes in each partner in the couple or adverse life experiences and end up losing passion and physical contact.
Romantic love
Romantic love can precede the relationship most want, where there is a balance between all three components of love.
In romantic love, partners are bound by intense passion and deep physical contact, thus having a strong, passionate and almost permanent bond, with conversations in which they feel understood, admired, and accepted. Often this kind of love can also lead to long-term commitment.
Companion love
We find it between family members, very old friends, or in mature, long-established couple relationships where the passion has almost died out, but the commitment and physical contact remain. If we are talking about relationships, passion can be rekindled using different techniques or by seeking the help of a psychotherapist.
Love with a sense of loneliness
In this type of love, commitment and passion are present, while physical contact is absent. The two partners are together, enjoying physical contact. Still, they do not have a deep emotional connection; they cannot communicate. They do not feel understood or accepted, part of what they often call “I’m in a relationship but I feel lonely”. Such a relationship must cultivate empathy for things to work in the long run.
Complete love
This is the love we all dream of, represented by a balance between all three components of love. This type of relationship is ideal, but it can only be a phase in a couple if both partners don’t actively intervene to maintain it. It is a type of love that requires maturity, personal balance and good emotional management.
