The End of the Affair

Abstract

Today, most people are fairly optimistic about the fate of love. They believe their current love affairs will last forever. Yet, the odds are against a youthful romance deepening into a long and satisfying marriage. This chapter discusses how long passionate love lasts and factors that can play a role in its stability. It reviews the suffering that people sometimes experience after a breakup, including both emotional and physical manifestations and health consequences. The chapter discusses gender differences in dealing with loss, and provides a scale for measuring degrees of loneliness. Some suggestions for starting over in relationships are also offered.