New relationship energy (or NRE) also commonly known as Honeymoon Phase is a state of mind experienced at the beginning of sexual and romantic relationships, typically involving heightened emotional and sexual feelings and excitement.
NRE begins with the earliest attractions, may grow into full force when mutuality is established, and can fade over months or years.
The term originated in the Usenet postings of Zhahai Stewart in the 1980s[1] and was more widely presented in 1993.
[5] These distortions of perception do not automatically imply that the attraction is unreal or will not last (indeed most lasting romantic bonds do begin with NRE,[citation needed] although this does not mean that most relationships that begin with NRE would lead to lasting romantic bonds because of the complications that can come with the end of NRE), only that the magnitude of these positive feelings is greater than it is likely to be later, and some potential interpersonal problems may seem smaller than they will later become.
[6] A less-common variant is new relationship chemistry, which is conceptually similar to NRE except with emphasis explicitly limited to the brain chemistry involved in creating the euphoric feelings, rather than actions and rationalized feelings involved with NRE.