Intimacy anorexia, which is the active withholding emotionally, spiritually, and sexually from your significant other, can cause your spouse/partner to feel alone and disconnected. The pain and even trauma they experience from this are real due to you withholding your heart from them. By following the 12 Steps recovery process, however, you can overcome this withholding as many have done so over the years. In this video, Dr. Doug Weiss, licensed psychologist and national author, walks you through Step Five of the recovery journey.

It's best to do Step Five as soon as possible after completing Step Four, don't delay. With Step Five it's about admitting to God, to ourselves, and to another human being the exact nature of our wrongs. Some think that all they have to do is just tell someone their moral inventory from Step 4, but that's not what this step is about solely. Step 5 is a process that requires all three parts to be done in order to be completed.

First we admit to God the good, bad, and ugly columns. He was there and knows what happened. It's important though that you have this relationship conversation with Him.

Second, you admit to yourself the stuff from the moral inventory list. Do so in a quiet, safe place. You'll be able to see patterns and things you may not have noticed before. You'll have a sense of release and feel more able to expand further on the admitting part.

Last and hardest of all, is admitting to another human being. It's best to do this with a safe and trusted person, preferably either someone in recovery, a pastor, or a counselor who would understand what you're trying to get accomplished.

Admitting helps to break the lie that you can't be loved because of the things of your past. You will feel cleansed and know that you can be flawed and loved. You will realize that don't have to be perfect, that it's okay to be just human.

This is a crucial process in order for you to mature and grow in your life. In admitting your faults and wrongs, be honest and don't try to sugarcoat it, especially the withholding that's been done towards your spouse. You can be better and fully overcome Intimacy Anorexia, but you have to work for it.

Visit https://intimacyanorexia.com/ for more information about Intimacy Anorexia and to take a test you can take to determine if Intimacy Anorexia® is the issue in your marriage.

For information about Intimacy Anorexia support groups, go to: https://www.drdougweiss.com/intimacy-anorexia-group/

or call us at 719-278-3708

If you're the partner of an Intimacy Anorexic®, we call that Married and Alone. We have plenty of materials, as well as support groups.

For more information about our support groups regarding Intimacy Anorexia or being Married & Alone, go to:

https://www.drdougweiss.com/groups/

https://www.drdougweiss.com/facebook-groups/

The recommended materials mentioned in the video:

The Intimacy Anorexia® Steps Guide

Intimacy Anorexia book

Intimacy Anorexia DVD

Intimacy Anorexia® Workbook

These can be purchased at: https://www.drdougweiss.com/store

For information on marriage counseling and intensives, go to https://www.drdougweiss.com/counseling/

For a full list of Dr. Doug’s products, go to https://www.drdougweiss.com/store/

Doug Weiss, Ph.D., is a nationally known author, speaker and licensed psychologist. He is the executive director of Heart to Heart Counseling Center in Colorado Springs, Colorado, and the author of several books including, Partner Betrayal Trauma ™.

You may contact Dr. Weiss via his website, https://www.drdougweiss.com/ or on his Facebook https://www.facebook.com/drdougweiss/

by phone at 719-278-3708 or through email at [email protected]