How to Overcome Fear of Physical Intimacy

Co-authored by Kelli Miller, LCSW, MSW and Amber Crain

Last Updated: June 2, 2022 References

Do you have a difficult time connecting physically or sexually with others? Fear of physical intimacy is a lot more common than you think, and there are lots of reasons why you might develop it. In this article, we'll walk you through the symptoms and causes, and we'll also explain how this fear may be impacting your life. Then, we'll cover diagnosis and treatment options so you can take steps to put this fear behind you once and for all.

This article is based on an interview with our relationship expert, Kelli Miller, licensed pyschotherapist and award-winning author. Check out the full interview here.

Section 1 of 6:

Overview

Fear of intimacy refers to feelings of fear or panic when you get close to someone. A fear of physical intimacy is usually associated with sexual relationships, but not always.^{[1]
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Expert Source

Kelli Miller, LCSW, MSW
Psychotherapist
Expert Interview. 11 June 2020.} For example, you may feel anxiety or fear when a friend hugs or touches you platonically.^{[2]
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Section 2 of 6:

Symptoms

The most common symptoms are feelings of distrust and anxiety. You'll experience these feelings when you're in physically intimate situations, but they usually bleed over into other aspects of your life, as well. Since there are many reasons why you might develop a fear of physical intimacy, the symptoms you experience may vary. The other most commonly reported symptoms include:
- Neediness or paranoia in relationships
- Low self-esteem
- Discomfort if certain areas of your body are touched
- Difficulty getting sexually aroused or low libido
- Feeling unsafe in intimate situations
- Inability to connect emotionally
- Intense feelings of guilt and shame

Section 3 of 6:

Causes

1
Abandonment issues. Fear of abandonment is usually rooted in childhood experiences like loss, rejection, or trauma. These experiences can be dramatic for you, like the death of a loved one, neglect, or emotional abuse, but not always. They can also occur on a more subtle level, like in everyday interactions you had with your parents during childhood.^{[3]
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- Fear of abandonment can also develop after you experience a difficult relationship as an adult, but this is less common.
2
Sexual abuse in childhood. Being sexually abused is deeply violating and traumatic, especially since it's often carried out by someone close to you. Because of the abuse, you grew up associating physical intimacy and sex with memories of violation, trauma, and abuse.^{[4]
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Expert Source

Kelli Miller, LCSW, MSW
Psychotherapist
Expert Interview. 11 June 2020.} It can be scary to face these negative associations as an adult, but you're already taking the first step if you're here reading this article.^{[5]
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Rape or intimate partner violence/abuse. The impact of sexual violence leaves its mark on you long after your physical injuries heal. You have to navigate extreme feelings like fear, shame, loneliness, and a deep distrust of others. You may experience nightmares, flashbacks, PTSD, anxiety/panic attacks, and depression, all of which can cause sexual and intimacy problems.^{[6]
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HelpGuide
Nonprofit organization dedicated to providing free, evidence-based mental health and wellness resources.
Go to source}
4
Genophobia (an overwhelming fear of sex).^{[7]
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Research source} A phobia might develop because of specific incident or trauma, but it can also stem from a learned response you developed early in life, usually from a family member. You may also experience genophobia without being the victim of a past sexual trauma; there's evidence that genetic predisposition plays a role.^{[8]
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National Health Service (UK)
Public healthcare system of the UK
Go to source}
5
Depression, anxiety, and/or bipolar disorder. Mental health issues and other psychological factors can make it difficult for you to engage in intimate physical acts like sex and touching. Depression and anxiety are the most common culprits, but there's evidence that people with bipolar disorder may also struggle with a fear of intimacy.^{[9]
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- Unfortunately, the medications used to treat these disorders can cause secondary sexual problems like low libido, erectile dysfunction, and painful intercourse.
6
Negative body image and/or body dysmorphia. People struggling with negative body image tend to feel shame about their bodies, so you may try to avoid situations (like sex) where someone could see you naked. Body dysmorphic disorder is similar, but people with BDD experience extreme anxiety over a specific physical defect. You might be imagining the defect completely, or the “defect” may be something extremely minor and hardly noticeable.^{[10]
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Cleveland Clinic
Educational website from one of the world's leading hospitals
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Section 4 of 6:

Impact

Fear of intimacy impacts your ability to get close to people. This can happen in your friendships, but it's more common in your romantic partnerships. You might withhold affection or put up walls so your partner can't get to know you on an emotional or physical level.^{[11]
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Research source} Other common effects are:
- Social isolation
- Serial dating
- Sabotaging relationships early on
- Health-risk behaviors like eating disorders and substance use^{[12]
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Section 5 of 6:

Diagnosis

Seek help from a qualified therapist or mental health professional. Identifying and addressing the underlying cause is a crucial part of overcoming your fears.^{[13]
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Kelli Miller, LCSW, MSW
Psychotherapist
Expert Interview. 11 June 2020.} In most cases, working through your trauma with a mental health professional in a safe space will be much more effective. Having the guidance of a professional may also accelerate the healing process and help you come to terms with your feelings.
- If you're interested in seeing a qualified sex therapist, they can share ideas on how to introduce healthy sexuality into your life.^{[14]
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- If you’re married or in a committed relationship, a couple's counselor can help you work through physical intimacy issues together.

Section 6 of 6:

Treatment

1
Explore your past trauma in a safe, secure setting. Since trauma is painful, it's completely normal if you've done your best to avoid thinking about it until now. It can be scary and uncomfortable to face traumatic incidents, but understanding and accepting what happened to you in the past enables you to live fully in the present.^{[15]
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Research source} You can do things like:
- Explore and work through your memories in a private journal
- Tell a trusted friend or loved one about what happened
- Work with a counselor or therapist
2
Reframe negative thoughts about physical intimacy in a positive way. It's common to have a lot of negative thoughts swirling around in your head about physical intimacy. These thoughts have been there for a long time, so it’s easy to confuse them with facts. Pay attention to the negative thoughts that pass through your mind about sex/physical intimacy and try to immediately replace them with positive thoughts.^{[16]
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Research source} For example:
- Instead of “Sex is power over someone” think “Sex is empowering.”
- Replace “Sex is hurtful” with “Sex is nurturing and healing.”
- Change “Sex is secretive” to “Sex is private.”
- Replace “Sex is deceitful” with “Sex is honest and respectful.”
- Change “Sex is unsafe” to “Sex is safe.”
- Instead of “Sex is abuse” go with “Sex is positive sexual energy.”
3
Practice self-compassion and self-care every day. If you were talking to a friend and they told you about their fear of physical intimacy, you’d readily accept who they are and what they’ve been through, right? Try to show yourself the same care and compassion that you’d give your best friend. You deserve that level of kindness.^{[17]
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Research source} You can also do things like:
- Try relaxation techniques like meditation and yoga
- Avoid media triggers (graphic news stories, sexually explicit TV shows/movies)
- Eat right, exercise, and get 7-9 hours of sleep every night
- Avoid the temptation to self-medicate with alcohol or drugs^{[18]
  X
  Trustworthy Source
  HelpGuide
  Nonprofit organization dedicated to providing free, evidence-based mental health and wellness resources.
  Go to source}
4
Be patient with yourself as you heal. It’s understandable if you want to “push through” your fear so you can start enjoying physical intimacy, but that’s not a healthy way to deal with it. Fear of physical intimacy isn’t something you can defeat overnight, but you can and will defeat it with time. Focus on building your self-esteem, exploring your feelings, and prioritizing self-care. Healing will come.^{[19]
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- Sometimes, it might feel like you aren't making much progress on your healing journey. Please don't get discouraged! As long as you're facing your fears head on and doing your best to deal with them in a healthy way, you're making progress.
5
Communicate openly with your partner about your fears. It's important to explain what your fears are and why you have them so your partner fully understands what's going on. Try to talk about sexual intimacy outside the bedroom in a calm, low-pressure environment. For a successful conversation, express your feelings using "I" statements so your partner doesn't feel blamed. Then, discuss ideas for moving forward, setting boundaries, and so on.^{[20]
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Expert Source

Maria Avgitidis
Matchmaker & Dating Expert
Expert Interview. 20 December 2019.}
- For example, you might say, "I don't feel comfortable being touched there because of what happened to me when I was a child. Let's agree to stay away from that area for now, but we can slowly work toward that once I start feeling more comfortable."

Expert Q&A

Question

How can I stop being so anxious about sex?

Maria Avgitidis
Matchmaker & Dating Expert
Maria Avgitidis is the CEO & Matchmaker of Agape Match, a matchmaking service based out of New York City. For over a decade, she has successfully combined four generations of family matchmaking tradition with modern relationship psychology and search techniques to ensure her professional clientele are introduced to their ultimate match. Maria and Agape Match have been featured in The New York Times, The Financial Times, Fast Company, CNN, Esquire, Elle, Reuters, Vice, and Thrillist.

Maria Avgitidis

Matchmaker & Dating Expert

Expert Answer

Remind yourself that sex isn't always going to be perfect the first time you have it with someone! Sex is very exploratory since you're getting to know someone new.
Question

How do I help my partner with fear of intimacy?

Kelli Miller, LCSW, MSW
Psychotherapist
Kelli Miller is a Psychotherapist based in Los Angeles, California. Kelli specializes in individual and couples therapy focusing on relationships, depression, anxiety, sexuality, communication, parenting, and more. Kelli also facilitates groups for those struggling with alcohol and drug addiction as well as anger management groups. She is the author of “Professor Kelli’s Guide to Finding a Husband” and the award-winning and best-selling book “Thriving with ADHD”. Kelli co-hosted an advice show on LA Talk Radio and is a relationship expert for The Examiner. She received her MSW (Masters of Social Work) from the University of Pennsylvania and a BA in Sociology/Health from the University of Florida.

Kelli Miller, LCSW, MSW

Psychotherapist

Expert Answer

Give them the space to really communicate what they're feeling. There's a lot of different reasons someone might have a fear of physical intimacy, so it's important that you understand where your partner is coming from.