Signs You Have Intimacy Issues

1. Preferring Emotional Affairs To Your Real-Life Relationship

Image Source - redditIf you're talking out your intimacy issues with someone other than your partner, this is known as an emotional affair. It doesn't matter if this is happening in the office, at a bar, or online, you're sharing information that you wouldn't if your partner was present.

2. You're Married To Your Job

Image Source - redditWorking all the hours that the day brings may be a powerful sign of emotional intimacy issues. By burying yourself in work and being busy all the time, you have a ready-made excuse to avoid intimate moments. We think it might be time to close that laptop!

3. Perfectionism

Image Source - process.stPerfectionists can find it hard to form intimate relationships. This is because they're always demanding of themselves and others, which can cause a breakdown in relationships due to their impossibly high standards, which leads to stress and conflict.

4. Difficulties With Physical Contact

Image Source - redditExtremes in physical touch can sometimes result from a fear of intimacy. On one hand, a person can absolutely reject physical contact at all times, however, it has also been known that an individual may require physical contact all the time when with their partner.

5. You Fall For The Person Who Is Emotionally Unavailable

Image Source - redditAnother sign is you frequently end up with someone who is emotionally unavailable. Yet again, another partner you are with is hesitant to commit to a relationship. You could be choosing people like this without even being aware, since they protect you from having to get serious.

6. You're There In Body, But Not In Spirit

Image Source - redditYou can share a home but still have intimacy issues if you never take time out of the day to communicate with each other. If you're always playing video games on your own, or if the television is always on during dinner this will not help. It's good to talk!

7. Sabotaging Relationships

Image Source - redditSomeone who has intimacy issues will purposely try and sabotage relationships with others. This can be done by avoiding chances to maintain the relationship, or by holding back and not getting too emotionally close to the other person involved. How sad!

8. A History Of Short Relationships

Image Source - redditSomeone with a long history of failed relationships, or someone who is known to be a serial dater, will likely have intimacy issues. This person seems to lose interest and the relationship ends only after a few months or dates. Sounds a bit like Pete Davidson!

9. You Wear A Mask

Image Source - redditIf you're walking around every day of your life and you’re afraid to take off your metaphorical mask and show fear, worry, or concern,  this is another subtle sign of intimacy issues. By forcing positivity, you’re not sharing empathy and avoiding deep connections.

10.  Keeping Your Partner Away From Friends/Family

Image Source - redditKeeping your partner separated from friends and family is a sure sign that you're scared of intimacy. Having different sections of your social circles divided ensures certain aspects of your life remain secret, as you may be anxious or embarrassed about your past.

11. You Lack Confidence

Image Source - pinterestA person who shows a lack of confidence and low self-esteem is more likely to develop intimacy issues throughout their life. If you're not comfortable in your own skin then it will be very difficult to let someone else in due to the fear of being ridiculed.

12. Anger

Image Source - redditA person who has a deep, subconscious fear of intimacy can project this fear as anger. When a relationship is getting uncomfortably close to being serious constant explosions of anger lead to the constant failure in forming any intimate relationships.

13. Difficulty Expressing Needs

Image Source - becomingbetterA person who fears intimacy may find it challenging to communicate their needs and desires. Feeling unworthy of another's support might be the root of this. Those needs are not met since partners are unable to "mind read," effectively reinforcing the person's sentiments of worthlessness.

14. Sexually Immature

Image Source - theguardianSexual immaturity can be an indication that a person struggles with intimacy. You can love sex, but still not connect with your partner. If a person has an excessive interest in porn, sex acts, or sex toys, this can show immaturity as they would rather focus on these than make love.

15. You Avoid Rejection By “not caring”

Image Source - njYou determine before you even start that it won't work, so you give up. This is a typical protection mechanism that shields you from potential suffering in the event that your partner rejects you. Instead of letting that happen, you ruin the connection.

16. You Hide Behind One Characteristic

Image Source - boredpandaDo you insist on displaying yourself in a certain way? Do you really believe that this is the only way to portray yourself in order to be liked? If this is the case, you could feel as though you always need to be making people laugh or that you need to be smiling all the time. By doing this, you're not showing your true self.

17. You Make Excuses And Seem Flaky

Image Source - redditAnother sign of intimacy issues is that you display a pattern of excuses and lies to keep others at a distance. You may even become aware of another person's interests and choose to avoid them. The excuses used can be "I feel sick," or "something came up.

18. You Search For “problems” With The Other Person

Image Source - redditPicking on your partner and finding small flaws  may feel like an easier way to get out of a sticky situation. When a relationship begins to develop into something more serious, you do this in an attempt to reduce the emotional emotions that come along with it.

19. You Prioritize Everything Besides Your Relationships

Image Source - redditYou may show your dread of intimacy by prioritizing everything besides your relationships. This means you could be spending a lot of time alone engaging in hobbies. To hide what's really going on, you may tell yourself that you're  just an independent person.

20. You Don't Share The Big Stuff.

Image Source - wordpressAnother sign of an intimacy issue is that you only share low-risk information about your daily activities, acquaintances, interests, and jobs. Anything more important, such as your private ideas, are only disclosed if requested or if it is absolutely essential.

21. You're Secretive About Your True Feelings.

Image Source - glamourmagazineIn a relationship by not sharing the things that make you unhappy and instead choosing to stay quiet or even showing passive-aggressive behavior, leads to low levels of intimacy  leaving you to feel like strangers in your own home. Sharing is caring!

22. When The Connection Grows, You Go.

Image Source - redditHave you had a weekend trip away with your new partner and had a blast? However, you have a vulnerability hangover when you return to the comfort of your own house.? This is a sign of an intimacy issue as this discomfort will get so bad that you'll start declining further invitations to hang together once more in favour of isolating yourself.

23. The Grass Is Always Greener On The Other Side.

Image Source - redditOnce in relationship you can find yourself daydreaming about the perfect partner, where all of your wants can be addressed without making you feel overburdened, uneasy, or fearful. Instead of focusing on what you already have, when things get difficult in your existing relationship, you might start to consider these alternative options.

24. Resentment

Image Source - bellevuecounselingResentment can cause your partner to distance themselves from you and stop showing you affection as a result of unresolved concerns in your relationship. The best way to figure this out is to have an honest discussion about the relationship and work to fix any problems that might be interfering with intimacy.

25. Stress

Image Source - pinterestStress can have a massive impact on intimacy. Stress at work or at home can fatigue both men and women, making sex less enticing in favour of sleep or other forms of relaxation. Stress and lower sex drive have been linked in studies. Is it time to take up Yoga?

26. You Aren't Asking Each Other For Advice

Image Source - lindseypollakYou and your companion should be able to always support one another in a relationship. Unfortunately, that's difficult to do if neither of you really approaches the other for support when you require it. It's an indication you don't have emotional intimacy if you don't seek for each other's opinion or advice.

27. You Don't Really Share Your Lives With One Another

Image Source - redditA warning that a couple could lack intimacy is keeping a physical distance from your lover in addition to an emotional one. Leading completely different lives can become damaging, whether it means you don't text often, or don't share experiences with one another.

28. You Leave Before You Get Left

Have you ever had cold feet? Those who experience abandonment anxiety fear that their lover may walk out on them, so in order to avoid this feeling, they will exit the relationship before the other has chance to. This is unmistakably a sign of an intimacy problem.Image Source - reddit

29. You Have Trouble Listening To One Another

Image Source - redditEven if you and your partner may be discussing your views and feelings, intimacy won't really develop unless you are also actively listening to one another. Triggers for this can include missing special occasions like birthdays or anniversaries, or failing to apologise when making a mistake.

30. You Have Difficulty Trusting People

Image Source - redditA relationship will never work if those involved don't trust each other. Sometimes trust problems and a fear of being rejected are linked to a fear of intimacy. It's typical for a fear of trust to be present when someone is attempting to avoid connecting on a deeper level.