Can’t look someone in the eye?
Want love but don’t feel comfortable connecting deeply?
Here are five signs you have a fear of intimacy.
Its a mask for a fear of being hurt, says therapistMelissa Divaris Thompson, LMFT.
If they dont get invested, its easier to be rejected or abandoned, says Thompson.
Risk factors for developing a fear of intimacy:
1.
licensed clinical social worker and certified sex therapist
This makes a person more likely to approach future relationships with the same kind of fear and doubt.
And that feeling of inadequacy can translate easily into a fear of intimacy.
This is your body and mind working the way its supposed to, for protect you.
5 signs you may be harboring a fear of intimacy:
1.
You dont tolerate deep emotional interactions well.
They arent emotionally vulnerable or care to reveal much about themselves.
You prefer to be alone when a situation starts feeling personal.
And not in an introvert, need-some-me-time bang out of way, to be sure.
You dont have many meaningful social ties in your life.
licensed clinical social worker and certified sex therapist
That doesnt mean you donthavefriends or loved ones, per se.
People who fear intimacy also usually dont have a lot of close and emotionally connected friendships, says Thompson.
They keep their friendships at a distant.
You tend to self-sabotage when things are going well.
But without the risk, the reward escapes you, too.
You arent able to share your feelings.
Fine, good and okay are not feeling words.
Dr. Nelson believes that learning this language of intimate connection really starts with these expressions of emotions.
3 tips for overcoming a fear of intimacy, according to therapists:
1.
Have you been hurt?
Have you been rejected or abandoned?
Having this understanding of past decisions can help you realign your path in the present.
Revealing who you are and what you feel can be scary at first, but the rewards are great.
If youre in a romantic relationship, share your fear with your partner.
We tend to internalize struggles in relationshipsparticularly when they feel like personal problems, says Games.
Learn from the successful friendships and partnerships that youdohave.
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