Being in love is a beautiful feeling. But if you think you can’t describe it in words, we’ve got to tell you something. Back in the day, the Greeks identified different kinds of love and redefined the meaning of love for everyone. In fact, they’ve even described each type of love with words that hit close to the heart. Believe it or not, the types of love pointed by the ancient Greeks are relevant even today. If you’re wondering how many types of love exist, we’ve broken it down for you.
Table of Contents
The 8 Different Types Of Love
- Philia (Affectionate Love)
- Pragma (Enduring Love)
- Storge (Familiar Love)
- Eros (Romantic Love)
- Ludus (Playful Love)
- Mania (Obsessive Love)
- Philautia (Self-Love)
- Agape (Selfless Love)
According to the ancient Greeks, there are eight different types of love. Knowing about each one can help you identify the kind of love you’re in and figure out your feelings. It can also help you steer your relationship in the right direction. So if you have feelings for someone, check out these eight types of love to know exactly what you’re into:
Philia (Affectionate Love)
Philia is used to define the kind of love that has no romantic feelings or attraction involved. It’s based on pure affection for someone related to you by blood or has a strong connection with you. Also known as ‘brotherly love’, you probably already have this type of love in your life. It’s the love that you feel for your mother, a close friend or anyone who shares the same value set and principles with you. It’s best expressed by being supportive in times of need and showing trust through open communication.
Pro Tip: Continue to be honest with each other and keep all lines of communication open always. That’s your strength and you must abide by each other through all ups and downs.
Pragma (Enduring Love)
Pragma is the type of love we all dream about. It exists between couples willing to put in effort to keep the spark alive and make their relationship last. This kind of love matures over years and culminates into a strong, unbreakable bond. It’s a result of dedication, commitment, and unwavering support for each other. Consider yourself fortunate if you have someone you share this kind of love with. If not, don’t settle, because you’ll find your special someone very soon.
Pro Tip: To make a love last forever, there has to be equal and honest effort from both sides. Always make each other feel heard and valued through cute ways to say I love you.
Storge (Familiar Love)
Storge is the kind of love that exists naturally. It’s the one you feel for those bound by blood with you or for those you’ve known forever. You can feel this type of love for a childhood buddy, your family members, or your child. It’s powerful enough to make you forgive your object of affection easily. It can also drive you to sacrifice for them and make efforts to keep them happy.
Pro Tip: Making the time for those you feel the familiar love for is important to keep making memories and strengthen the bond. Never take them for granted and make them feel special once in a while to show how much you really care for them.
Eros (Romantic Love)
Romance, passion, and attraction are the three terms that describe this kind of love the best. It’s the type of love that’s felt between two people during the initial phase of a relationship. There’s infatuation and a strong desire for your partner’s body since physical attraction is at its peak in this kind of love. It is expressed in the form of kisses, hugs, and cuddles, and sex. It’s thrilling and exciting and can bring two people close together.
Pro tip: Make the most of this transient kind of love. Over time, it often grows into a stronger bond where the attraction takes a backseat and friendship takes the forefront. It can also fade away completely. So enjoy each other’s company while it exists.
Ludus (Playful Love)
This type of love is fun, flirtatious, and comes with no strings attached. It can be felt for someone, who makes you feel alive but doesn’t necessarily have a strong presence in your life. This kind of love can also be felt during the honeymoon phase of a relationship when you’re just attracted to someone. It’s all about sending flirty texts, exchanging naughty smiles, and getting butterflies when that person is around.
Pro Tip: Don’t underestimate the power of this child-like kind of love. It can culminate into something special later. But while you’re in it, make the most of this crush-makes-you-blush period.
Mania (Obsessive Love)
This type of love is the one that you need to run away from. It often stems from an imbalance of Eros and Ludus. It can lead to jealousy, over possessiveness, and a strong sense of dependence on the other person. In short, this kind of love is toxic and must be avoided. It’s usually hard to emerge out of Mania, but if you resolve to strive for a healthy relationship, you can do it.
Pro Tip: It’s best to stay alert and take note of red flags like obsessive behaviour, excessive clinginess, and extreme jealousy. Remember, these aren’t signs of true love. Try pin pointing it to your partner and work together towards a healthy change.
Philautia (Self-Love)
This is a healthy sign of maturity and love. In this type of love, you recognise your needs, put yourself first, and take responsibility for your own happiness. It comes with a sense of self-worth. It avoids burdening the other person and can blossom into a healthy relationship with mutual respect and admiration.
Pro Tip: All kinds of love need to start with love for self. Encourage the same behaviour from your partner and grow together as happy individuals who enjoy each other’s companionship.
Agape (Selfless Love)
This is the kind of love best exemplified by philanthropists and activists like Mother Teresa and Malala Yousafzai. It hails from a conscious decision to spread love to all regardless of the consequences. In this type of love, you’re the giver and expect nothing in return. You’re driven by the motive of spreading happiness and making lives better. Because that’s what makes you happy.
Pro Tip: This world definitely needs more people who can spread love and bring smiles. But this shouldn’t culminate into extreme self-sacrifice or loss of self. Remember to strike a healthy balance between self-love and the universal love that you aim to bring in this world.
Now that we’ve told you about different types of love, take the time out to introspect and figure out your feelings. If you notice any red flags and feel like you’re experiencing an unhealthy kind of love, go back to your partner and work towards a healthier relationship together. After all, the ultimate meaning of love is happiness and bliss, not toxicity. So keep spreading love, light, and happiness. Cheers!
Also Read
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Best relationships quotes: One of the strongest bonding factors in a relationship is sharing your feelings and thoughts with the help of relationship quotes. They definitely are a cute communication tool, don’t you agree?
Love meme: How about expressing your love by sharing these funny love memes with your partner. It’s all about sharing love and laughter, after all.
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