These authors include intimacy as the emotional component of love. Intimacy is able to boost self-esteem and add meaning to life. Whereas, most human beings feel depressed and lonely when they are isolated from other humans. Yet, fear of rejection keeps many people from developing an intimate relationship. Some will avoid contact at all, while others will present a false front or an illusion of themselves.
Some people have a trouble balancing closeness with the preservation of individual identity.
Genuine intimacy involves disclosing oneself and trusting one's partner to accept him or her as he or she really is. Intimacy does not necessarily mean that one's partner will understand or validate you when you disclose your true identity. Each must be emotionally satisfied and only seeking out a partner to celebrate his or her sexuality, rather than seeking him or her out for reassurance or validation. Common belief is that intimacy involves me telling my partner something about myself and he will tell me that I'm okay. This type of intimacy limits sexuality because it stops one from growing sexually.