The reason your relationship changes drastically after the first year – and why so many break up

A relationship expert has revealed the four stages couples go through in the first year of their relationship — and why many don’t make it past year two.

Geena, 33, from Los Angeles, regularly shares relationship advice based on her own life and psychology theory.

A self-professed former love addict, the woman explained the four stages all new couples experience and what they mean for romantic longevity.

The LA woman divided the first year into four three-month segments.

She called them the stages “perfect,” “imperfect,” “negotiable,” and “commitment.”

0-3 months: the perfect phase

Attraction is at an all-time high during the beginning of a relationship.

People are also always on their best behavior and trying to impress their partner.

“You feel like you’ve met your perfect match,” Geena said.

3-6 months: the imperfect phase

People show their true colors in three months: they forget “Good Morning” messages, they don’t want to go out as often, they stop trying so hard.

Geena revealed that people with intimacy issues usually break up during this time so they can start the “Perfect Phase” with someone else.

6-9 months: the negotiable phase

You know most of your partner’s mistakes by now, and the debate over what is “acceptable” to you will take place.

This is also when couples figure out how to balance their relationship with the rest of their lives and start demanding more or less from their partners.

“If you decide you still like the person and want to continue the relationship, you start negotiating time, space, money and play,” Geena said. “If not, you’ll probably break up.”

9-12 months: the commitment phase

Couples who have survived the first three stages begin to feel secure in their relationship.

They begin to think about the future and what else awaits them.

“This is when people start wondering whether they should move in together or get married,” Gina said.

“Couples to talk about what their long-term relationship will look like.”

If they don’t envision a similar future together, the relationship is unlikely to last longer.

Thousands related to Geena’s relationship theory and shared their own experiences.

“This is very accurate – my ex and I broke up on our first anniversary.”

“I’m nine months in and I feel like I’m going crazy.”

But some poked fun at their unfortunate situations.

“What if we’ve been together for over ten years, still not living together, not engaged, and not having kids?”

‘We went through all the phases in the first three months.’