Anyone else have complete phobia with physical closeness?
I’ve had a few incidents of SA ages 7 and 15, and harassment aged 19. I’ve never been in a relationship due to an extreme fear of physical closeness/intimacy and constantly feeling unsafe.
I’m now 28, have never had trauma therapy despite being under MH services from ages 14-21 and then back under services aged 27 to present. But it affects other relationships too. Feeling uncomfortable with family or friends hugging me or friendly gestures like hand on shoulder/knee.
I’ve not yet been for a smear test because even the thought of walking in that room fills me with fear and panic. I’d rather die of an illness than have simple medical procedures like colonoscopy/smear tests. Purely due to the fear.
I’ve sort of accepted this will always be my life, I don’t see a way through this immense fear.
Has anyone else experienced this? Have they got through it?
Posted May 1, 2026, 5:53 PM UTC