The “ick” might feel like a simple turn-off, but could there be a deeper issue at play? Here are two signs it might be rooted in a fear of intimacy. You know that feeling when everything seems fine ...

Intimacy involves a high degree of vulnerability and any time that we are challenged to drop our defenses we are likely to feel some degree of apprehension in regard to concerns about how others may ...

Here’s why emotional maturity, insight, self-control and communication skills can sometimes mask a deeper fear of closeness. Emotional maturity is often seen as the gold standard of psychological ...

Wanting love and fearing closeness can exist at the same time, and that contradiction is exactly what makes intimacy issues so confusing. You might genuinely crave a steady relationship, yet feel ...

Generalization caveat: Not all men are afraid of relationships, but many men are terrified of them. Before I get into the reasons why they're so afraid, let me first address the question of whether ...

Four examples—literary, biographical, autobiographical and contemporary—illustrate the significance of intimacy as a cultural ideal and why, despite our deep longing for it, intimacy remains elusive ...