Home Men's Health Can You Cure Intimacy Anorexia?

Can You Cure Intimacy Anorexia?

by Glenn Fitzpatrick
couple having marital problems

As a relationship disorder intimacy anorexia is a complex problem that can cause couples a lot of pain. It isn’t just a simple decline in intimacy within a relationship. When you or your partner are suffering from intimacy anorexia, all forms of intimacy within your relationship may be completely lost.

However, there is hope. As long as you’re both willing, intimacy anorexia may be treated. It may take a while and require a lot of effort from both of you, but you can restore intimacy in your relationship.

Overview

Intimacy anorexia is a type of relationship disorder. There is a marked lack of intimacy within the relationship because one of the partners is actively avoiding any form of intimate connection with the other, be it through sexual intimacy, emotional intimacy, or even spiritual intimacy.

One may develop intimacy anorexia due to a variety of reasons. Whatever the cause, several symptoms characterize intimacy anorexia. These include behaviors such as blaming, criticizing, and withholding sex or affection.

Possible Causes of Intimacy Anorexia

The factors that contribute to intimacy anorexia are deeply psychological. Sexual trauma, for instance, is a common cause of intimacy anorexia. Victims of sexual trauma may find it difficult to form or commit to relationships. And even when they do, they may not find it easy to show their love and affection, much less engage in sex with their partner.

Sexual addiction is another known cause of intimacy anorexia. Those who are sexually addicted tend to pursue sexual interactions with many other partners, despite the fact that they are already in a relationship with someone. Some of them intentionally engage in sexual activities with other people but remain distant and cold when they’re with their partner.

Other factors that can contribute to intimacy anorexia include issues with the parent of the opposite gender, as well as a lack of relationship role model. For instance, when the opposite-gender parent is perceived as emotionally unavailable or if that parent has abandoned the family, that perception can be transferred to every one of the opposite genders.

If you grew up in an environment wherein you don’t really have any relationship role model to follow and look up to, you may be at a loss as to how you can nurture your own relationship.

Any of these factors can prevent a person from freely engaging in intimate acts and behaviors and can cause intimacy anorexia.

Signs of Intimacy Anorexia

Withholding sex

Does your partner always reject you whenever you want to have sex? How long has it been since you last had sex with your partner? People who suffer from intimacy anorexia tend to avoid sex and intimacy with their partner. And even when they do engage in sexual acts, they tend to be emotionally distant.

Withholding love

One of the reasons why we enter into relationships is that we want to be able to show our love for our partner. And we also want to feel loved and cared for. However, those with intimacy anorexia may intentionally withhold their love from their partner.

Criticizing

When your partner is constantly criticizing you, that can lead to feelings of resentment. It can also prevent you from being intimate with your partner. A constant stream of groundless criticism can destroy whatever feelings of intimacy you may have had.

Blaming

When your partner has intimacy anorexia, you will be blamed for all the problems in your relationship, regardless of whether you actually caused it or your partner did. An intimacy anorexic person will blame his or her partner and never acknowledge the fact that he or she also contributed to the problem.

Withholding praise

Along with criticizing and blaming, withholding praise is another common characteristic among those suffering from intimacy anorexia. While couples in a supportive relationship always praise and encourage each other, you will rarely hear any praises or encouragement from someone who is intimacy anorexic.

Anger or silence

Those who are struggling with intimacy anorexia tend to be very good at using anger and silence as a means to control their partner or the relationship. Unfortunately, when your partner is always angry at you or stays silent all the time, that can negatively affect the intimacy within your relationship.

Avoids sharing feelings

When you’re in a relationship, being able to share your feelings with your partner is something that you feel you should be able to do freely. However, when your partner is intimacy anorexic, you may find that you’re being blocked out whenever you try to talk about how you feel. And your partner may be unwilling to share her feelings with you.

Treatment Options

couple's therapy

Dealing with an intimacy anorexic can be very challenging and frustrating. Even when you love your partner greatly, it can hurt a lot when you’re always rejected, criticized, blamed, and shut out. However, if you really want your relationship to improve and work out, then you may want to think about seeking couple’s therapy.

You may be able to gradually address your partner’s issue with intimacy, but it may take if you don’t have professional help. There’s a lot of psychological issues involved when someone is intimacy anorexic, and having an objective third party guide you through the myriad of issues may be best.

Some therapists provide intensive treatment for intimacy anorexia. This usually involves in-depth interventions that can help you and your partner address the emotional damage in your relationship, as well as help you learn the skills you need in order to rekindle the intimacy in your relationship.

You can also opt for counseling sessions with a licensed relationship counselor or sex therapist. Your therapist will help you identify and resolve your relationship issues, as well as address the cause of intimacy anorexia in your relationship.

A sex therapist would also be able to help you and your partner rediscover the joy of intimate sex with each other again. Should you opt to see a sex therapist, you should be prepared to deliver a truly amazing sexual performance. In order to do so, make sure to take Male UltraCore so that you won’t have any problems with your sexual performance.

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