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 ...

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 ...

Puffer-fishing' describes a dating pattern where someone appears emotionally invested at first but withdraws when emotional ...

Most people want love. But what many of us don’t realize is that, deep down, we may also be terrified of it. The fear of intimacy can creep into our relationships in ways we don’t even notice—it can ...

Contemporary dating has generated numerous perplexing terms, ranging from ghosting to breadcrumbing. A recent trend named ...

Forbes contributors publish independent expert analyses and insights. I write about relationships, personality, and everyday psychology. Some of us are driven by desperation in love. For others, the ...

Intimacy disorder affects how people connect emotionally and physically with others in close relationships. While it’s not an official diagnosis in the DSM-5, mental health professionals see it as a ...

Therapists say intense fear of rejection may signal avoidant personality disorder. Learn what AVPD is, how it differs from ...