Intimacy is an important element in a healthy relationship that involves sharing a feeling of emotional closeness with another person. It’s when two people can be themselves and share their thoughts, feelings, emotions and be vulnerable without being afraid they will be laughed at or judged.

Intimacy starts very early in our lives with the people who take care of us when we’re small. Our first truly intimate relationships are with people in our family. For the most part, we can be ourselves, talk about our dreams and not worry about what people think about us. When we have emotional intimacy it’s more comfortable to have physical closeness with that person. This is known as physical intimacy; it’s not necessarily sexual. It could be things like getting a hug from a parent or having your little brother sit on your lap for a story.

Physical intimacy can make people more comfortable with sexual intimacy, in relationships such as when you’re with someone you like. Not every relationship that’s physically intimate has to be or should be sexually intimate.

Each level of intimacy brings with it a level of vulnerability. Developing intimacy can be difficult because it involves taking risks and trusting people, hoping that you’ve made good choices about what to share and when. Developing intimacy can also be great because it feels good to be accepted and cared for by another person.

Intimacy can take a while to achieve; it usually occurs in committed, long-term relationships, romantic or otherwise. Being intimate with someone, emotionally, physically or sexually, means you have to trust that person not to hurt or judge you. But intimacy between two people who trust and care for each other can be wonderful.