Many people struggle with fears silently.
There’s some sort of shame and embarrassment that comes with admitting you have certain phobias especially when it comes to sensitive topics like sex and intimacy.
One fear that people aren’t that aware of is erotophobia. There are different types but it can be generally described as an irrational fear of intimacy.
This is a physiological struggle that can affect your relationships, both romantic and non-romantic, as well as your sex life.
People who have erotophobia need a lot of support and your partner might be one of them.
A main root cause is traumatic experiences, more specifically, sexual abuse but it can also stem from religious and cultural beliefs that make someone guilty or anxious about intimacy.
This condition can manifest itself in different ways but these are some common signs that indicate your partner needs to seek therapy.
1. They avoid intimacy
When you’re in a loving relationship, you except things like sex and physical touch to happen organically. This is easy for most people but for someone with erotophobia, it’s a big struggle.
You might notice that they avoid sex and physical affection like kissing, hugging and cuddling because it triggers them. If you’re not aware of this, you might judge them or take it the wrong way when they’re actually having some psychological battles.
2. They struggle to enjoy sex
It’s normal to have days when you’re not in the mood. But this is different for people with erotophobia because this will happen often.
This struggle can cause problems like erectile dysfunction in men and painful sex in women. This might be a sign of how they have been affected psychologically by this condition.
3. They don’t like to be emotionally vulnerable
Erotophobia can affect someone’s personality as well. It might make you more reclusive and introverted which will have an impact on your relationships in general.
If your partner has a hard time opening up to you and other people, it might be a sign. You can also tell if they don’t have many friends or close relationships with other people in their life.
4. They avoid talking about sex
You can also tell by the way they take about sex. When you’re with someone you love you naturally have a positive outlook when it comes to your sex but for someone with erotophobia, there will either be hesitance or total avoidance.
The thought of sex triggers anxiety and fear and that is why it feels better for them to avoid talking about it altogether.
5. They struggle with self-esteem
This problem affects different areas of your life including your perception of self-worth. It can cause you to dislike your body physically, which is another sign that indicates erotophobia.
Your partner might make negative comments about their body often and you will notice that they don’t like to be seen naked.
You might have thought that it’s just about self-esteem issues but when this sign is combined with others on this list, you might understand the root cause better.
