Psychologist Explains The Phase That Helps Determine Whether A Relationship Will Work

A psychologist has revealed there is a 'Nine Month Rule' that helps you understand your relationship, saying there are three stages that every couple will go through - and that we must push through the third if we want to make it work. She tells all in the clip below:

TikToker Savannah Gamblin (@logicallyinlove) is a psychologist specialising in relationships and self-help.

She regularly posts tips and advice on dating, including a recent one about what she calls the 'Nine Month Rule', which consists of three phases that you must always go through when in a relationship.

Gamblin believes people cannot truly understand their relationship until they've passed all three of the stages.

Posting a video on TikTok, she wrote: "The 9 Month Rule keeps ya in check."

In her video, she says: "So, when I was younger my mum pulled me aside and she was like, 'Listen, you have got to stop holding onto these s*** men because it was so good in the beginning and OMG but I love him.'

TikTok/@logicallyinlove

"Okay, here's the thing: you do not understand your relationship until you've gone through these three phases."

Gamblin goes on to describe the three crucial periods, which she lists as the honeymoon stage, unravelling stage and realisation stage.

She explains: "One: honeymoon. We all know that one.

"Two: unravelling stage.

"This is when s*** goes down and you start to see those bad habit your partner has, and you start to see the flaws in the relationship - they're there."

But the crucial stage, it seems, is the third one.

She continues: "Third: realisation stage. 'Oh s***, this is what I'm dealing with'.

"Oftentimes during this realisation stage, we go back to the honeymoon phase and we're like, 'But that's what it's like.'

TikTok/@logicallyinlove

"No, no, no. That's an illusion. Realisation stage is where you keep having the same fight, and the same problems arise, and we need to learn how to get ourselves out of that."

Gamblin's video has racked up 7.4 million views on the platform, along with 1.5 million likes.

One TikToker commented: "Absolutely correct. The realisation phase is when you genuinely have to make the decision if it's the relationship you want! Communication during this phase WILL make or break your relationship."

Another said: "Realisation stage is where you decide what you will allow yourself to put in if the other person is actually worth it to you or not!!"

Topics: World News, News, Dating, Relationships, TikTok

Jess Hardiman

Jess is a journalist at LADbible who graduated from Manchester University with a degree in Film Studies, English Language and Linguistics - indecisiveness at its finest, right there. She also works for FOODbible and its sister page Seitanists, which are both a safe haven for her to channel a love for homemade pasta, fennel and everything else in between. You can contact Jess at [email protected].

@Jess_Hardiman