The Naked TruthWhy intimacy in a relationship is not all about sex – you can still get up close and personal
- Both physical and non-physical intimacy are important, and holding hands, hugging, and touching can be just as gratifying as having sex
- A partner may fear intimacy, but with love, patience and communication the problem can be overcome
It is not uncommon to have one partner who is content with non-sexual intimacy while the other person is more into physical closeness. Some couples may have different libidos, and that is also perfectly OK.
The Covid-19 pandemic has given the non-physical partner more reason to be physically distant, while the other partner may be desiring more physical closeness.
Some people believe you cannot express your love fully when there is no physical affection, while others think non-sexual contact like touching – not just in the bedroom – is just as gratifying as sex itself.
They believe non-sexual touching helps couples feel safe and reinforces connection, which can eventually boost one’s sex drive. So what can be done to bridge the intimacy “gap” and reduce the imbalance without making either party feel inadequate or pressured?
Clinical psychologist and certified sex therapist Dr Kristin Zeising says we have to recognise that both physical and non-physical intimacy are important.
“Non-sexual intimacy like holding hands, hugging, and touching release oxytocin; this is the same chemical that is released during an orgasm. Physical affection also reduces stress by lowering our cortisol levels, which is the stress hormone.”