ABSTRACT
Fear of intimacy Many people fear intimacy. For adults, this can mean a preference for shortterm relationships, one-night stands or multiple partners as these may feel far safer than long-term committed relationships. In other words, some people can tolerate intimacy for short intense relating periods, but run scared when a relationship threatens to develop. Other people fear intimacy in any form. Yet, we are genetically programmed to need people and to form attachment bonds, so trying to fight against this always comes at a price. The outcome is often a deep sense of meaninglessness at some time in life, a sense of futility or emptiness. Moore puts it beautifully: ‘The unintimate person hovers nervously in air, separated both from her own depth and from the souls of others’ (Moore, 1994).
