Intimacy disorder is a condition where an individual has fear or anxiety associated with different types of intimacy, whether physical or emotional, in sexual or non-sexual relationships. Intimacy disorders can deeply impact relationships, preventing people from forming close relationships or even maintaining them.
The emotional and relational barriers created by intimacy disorders can cause individuals to pull away from physical contact, avoid any discussions of emotions or feelings, and cause other people to perceive that the individual doesn’t care or reciprocate.
There are several types of intimacy disorders, but you can find intimacy disorder treatment for all of them to help overcome some of the more serious side effects and symptoms.
Types of Intimacy Disorders
There are several types of intimacy disorders, all of which can negatively impact relationships. Thankfully, there are also many ways that you can find intimacy disorder treatment, no matter the type.
Emotional Intimacy Disorder
Emotional intimacy disorder makes it difficult for an individual to get close to other people. This sometimes goes by the term intimacy anorexia. With emotional intimacy disorder, people will struggle with avoidance anxiety, where they have a fear of getting too close to another person emotionally, and that can disrupt the maintenance of long-term relationships.
Someone who struggles with emotional intimacy disorder might be fearful of emotional intimacy, meaning they close themselves off to any type of emotional discussion or circumstance, and this can disrupt sexual activity in an intimate relationship as well.
Physical Intimacy Disorder
Physical intimacy disorder can be characterized by a lack of any desire for sexual relationships brought about by the fear inherent in the disorder.
Someone struggling with a physical intimacy disorder has significant fear or anxiety associated with being physically close to another person, and this can be distressing as it prevents someone from getting the type of physical intimacy that they might need most. Physical intimacy disorder can be the result of low self-esteem, problems with trust, and previous trauma.
Intimacy Anxiety Disorder
Intimacy anxiety disorder is also categorized as avoidant personality disorder. This is a condition where individuals have an intense fear of being close to other people in both sexual and non-sexual interactions. Someone struggling with intimacy anxiety disorder will have significant difficulty forming or maintaining relationships.
Causes and Contributing Factors of Intimacy Disorders
There are many different causes and contributing factors for each type of intimacy disorder. Intimacy disorders are often caused by personal experiences rooted in earlier trauma, and these can include things like the following:
- Emotional, physical, or sexual abuse
- Physical or emotional neglect
- Witnessing violence done to others
- Loss of a loved one
- Serious injury or illness
Emotional Intimacy Disorder Causes
Things like emotional intimacy disorder can be caused by emotional trauma where an individual was abused growing up and now has a deep fear of emotional closeness brought about by that emotional abuse from childhood because they associate closeness with exposure to that abuse, whether consciously or subconsciously.
Things like intimacy anxiety disorder can be rooted in an individual’s self-worth, especially if they struggle with personality disorders or codependency.
Causes of Physical Intimacy Disorder
Similarly, someone might experience a physical intimacy disorder because they witnessed violence done to others or they were physically neglected growing up, so they have difficulty accepting things like physical touch from other people, even so far as hugs.
Intimacy Anxiety Disorder Causes
Intimacy anxiety disorder can be caused by personality disorders like an avoidant personality disorder or schizoid personality disorder. It could also be the result of sexual abuse in childhood, rejection or abandonment in childhood, and other traumas.
Recognizing Signs and Symptoms of Intimacy Disorders
It is important to recognize emotional and physical indicators as well as behavioral patterns that might indicate an intimacy disorder.
Someone struggling with intimacy anxiety disorder will experience symptoms like the following:
- Avoidance of all physical or sexual contact
- Unstable relationships
- Constantly self-sabotaging relationships
- Being unable to share feelings
- Having low self-esteem
- Being overly critical of a partner
- Being shy
- Being overly sensitive to criticism
Emotional intimacy disorder can manifest with things like the following:
- Living in social isolation
- Feeling disconnected because of a lack of connection with others
- Depression
- Avoidance of physical contact with a partner
- Poor communication
- Avoidance of serious topics in a relationship
- Trouble trusting a partner with important things
- Intentionally sabotaging relationships when people start to get close to you
- Being unable to communicate what you want from others or need in a relationship
- Having low self-esteem
- Having a history of low self-esteem and poor relationships
- Insatiable sexual desire
- Avoidance of non-sexual physical contact
- Anger episodes
- Trouble forming or committing to relationships
Physical intimacy disorder can manifest with symptoms like:
- Feeling disconnected because of a lack of connection with others
- Depression
- Avoidance of physical contact with a partner
- Poor communication
- Intentionally sabotaging relationships when people start to get close to you
- Having low self-esteem
- Avoidance of non-sexual physical contact
Emotional Indicators
Emotional indicators involve things like low self-esteem and oversensitivity to criticism, anxiety and fear, and even depression.
Physical Indicators
The physical indicators can include the way in which an individual physically acts, moves away from physical contact, has poor communication, is shy and overly sensitive, or unable to properly communicate.
Behavioral Patterns
In general, the behavioral patterns often include avoiding individuals when they start to form close relationships or self-sabotaging as well as a history of unstable relationships.
Intimacy Disorder Treatment Options
So, what are the options for intimacy disorder treatment?
Therapeutic Approaches
The main aspect of treatment centers on therapeutic approaches.
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)
Cognitive behavioral therapy can help individuals with the anxiety and depression aspects of their intimacy disorders, reframing automatic thoughts and better understanding triggers and causes.
Attachment-Based Therapy
Attachment based therapy can go a long way toward helping you secure better relationships with other people, overcoming your childhood experiences that might influence your current intimacy issues. Working with a therapist, attachment-based therapy sessions can provide a safe place to explore your early attachment experiences with your parents and how those have impacted your current relationships.
During your sessions, you’ll learn how to better express your emotions, identify negative thought patterns that cause you distress, and get treatment for underlying conditions like PTSD, anxiety, or depression.
Group Therapy and Support Groups
Group therapy and support groups can provide ongoing support in a setting where individuals can feel free to share their struggles and triumphs and learn from one another. The support groups can be focused on intimacy disorders or underlying conditions like depression or anxiety.
Medication and Medical Treatments
Beyond that, there are medications and medical treatments available depending on the causes. For example, someone who struggles with avoidant personality disorder might receive specific individual and group therapy in addition to prescription medications and other medical treatments for that condition.
Summing Up
Overall, there are several types of intimacy disorders, and anyone who displays the emotional and physical indicators or behavioral patterns of an intimacy disorder should consider their treatment options. It is important to address intimacy issues in order to help build healthy and stable relationships in the long term. If you are struggling with an intimacy anxiety disorder, seek support and take proactive steps toward healing today.