The early attachment stage

The chemical reaction in the euphoric stage is taken over by the more evolved part of the brain that’s linked with feelings of attachment, and the attachment hormones vasopressin and oxytocin (aka ‘the love hormone’).

The signs of this stage, says Brown, are usually clear: ‘You can sleep! You’re not thinking about your partner twenty-four hours a day. It’s easier to do other things in your life.”

Couples who have been married for at least one year describe love differently. ‘It’s richer, deeper,’ Brown observes. ‘It’s knowing them better. Memories – positive and negative – have been integrated. You’ve gone through difficulties, and you’ve developed a strong attachment.’