Does anyone else just miss being touched?

[Streamingbannersofdawn]

I wasn't totally sure where to put this and I hope its alright here.

I miss being touched. Being hugged by friends, being able to put a hand on the arm of someone who is upset. Two metre social distancing has been the absolute worst part of the pandemic for me.

I'm married, thank God...my two children have Autism and are not always that tactile. I am and somehow I feel so disconnected and lonely.

Its not as if I went round touching strangers but needing to be two metres away from friends has been so hard. The other day a shop worker brushed my fingers with theirs while giving me a product...it just made me realise that apart from my husband and children I touch nobody anymore.

I feel very sad about this.

I was wondering if I am very strange or if others feel the same way?

Not me personally, I don't like being touched by randomers (actually read that as colleagues, friends even my parents and siblings). My husband and children are enough touch for me, saying that those hugs are infact probably essential so I do really feel for people who live alone and haven't hugged anyone at all.
Even if personally its been a bonus for me as I haven't had to have any of those awkward "I'm not touchy feely conversations" and I'm really hoping the unsolicited hugs and random touches don't come back.

I've been through phases like this!

Yes. I’m not a super touchy person (tbh I’ve had to teach myself to be a bit more ‘normal’ about it through adulthood!), but I have close friends I’d ordinarily hug in greeting/goodbye and I miss that hugely.

I’m a single parent - my children are both super tactile and their cuddles are precious, but I’m missing the different sort of hug that comes from someone who is a grownup and cares about me rather than needs love from me, if that makes sense. And just touches on the arm or shoulder or whatever, in normal conversation.

Yep and it's made me realise how little my husband touches me... I don't speak to my parents so it's been a long time now since I had a proper hug

Yes. Luckily I have DH and 2 DC and we're reasonably tactile. We haven't touched anyone outside this bubble since March. I don't know how people living on their own are managing to cope.

When I see old friends, ones I'm used to hugging, and not just a fleeting hug, but a proper long hug, it's painful not to be able to hug them. I was thinking about it today and it's a proper longing.

I hate being hugged or touched or touching other people but I am missing being able to give people a hug. A couple of friends of mine lost family members recently and phonecalls are not the same.

Oh god yes. I live alone - the only person who has touched me (apart from the odd quick hug from my mum) is my physio. Me and my friends always very huggy. With WFH I am feeling so isolated. Glad I have my animals. My mental health is struggling. I’ve even bought a big pillow to hug at night.

Yeah, I miss hugging some of my friends. Generally don't like the fact that we're avoiding touch. I try not to think about it too much.

Yes, miss it desperately

Wow. I actually hate it when other people touch me! Unless it is one of my kids and even then that can be irritating haha.

Yes! I'm single and haven't even had a hug all year.

I gave blood recently and found it very comforting to have my arm touched.

I’m single and haven’t had a hug/kiss anything in over 3 years so it’s been a long time for me not just because of this situation, yes I miss it a lot

I’m quite strange, I’m not generally a touchy/huggy person outside of immediate family but my love language when in a relationship is touch and I love touching and being touched/kissed/held/etc by a romantic partner. I HATE being touched/hugged by friends and general members of the public.

I’m single, have been for almost six years (no sex, a tiny bit of kissing/hugging/touching that’s all in all that time), I cry every few months out of loneliness and missing a guys arms round me, someone to cuddle up to etc. It’s almost unbearable in lockdown and actually I’ve cried most days recently.

How YOU feel is totally understandable to me. You aren’t strange. My dentist grabbed my shoulders to move me into the correct position the other day and I realised that it was the first time in 17 months that someone other than family had touched me. I think there were years as a child and teenager that I went without being hugged. I can’t really describe the sadness and the feeling of being an outsider that comes with it. I think touch and physical acceptance and giving of ourselves physically is just a natural instinct as a human with a body. If my life were different, I’d get a couple of cats and a small dog...they are very comforting and someone to give and receive a tactile affection to and from.

Actually I don’t like to be touched. BUT I do miss the touch of a romantic partner. Something different about that kind of touch compared to family and friends and strangers.

Im going to get slated for this, but i still hug. I physically cannot stay 2m away from people at work, so i have just given up. I make sure i wash my hands and dont touch my face... but i missed hugging my friends, especially the ones who work in the same job, so we still hug.

I've been a single for many years, no one ever touches me apart from DD. Don't worry OP, you get used to it after a couple of years.

When I was single (for eight years), I went to the hairdressers and my usual hairdresser was away and one of the other guys stepped in. He was beautiful yet masculine and as he undid and removed the cape-thing, my legs nearly gave way. It was extraordinarily erotic.

Another time a friend came round and gave me a big hug. I burst into tears as it had been so long since I'd been touched.

At the moment I'm struggling not to hug my lovely widowed MIL. She must be missing the human touch very much.

Yes - I live on my own and am single and childfree by choice - I don't miss romantic touch but I miss hugging my friends and family :(

I'm bubbled with my mum but so nervous of passing her germs! But not sure how I'd have coped without her and my cats for cuddles.

I met friends in August to say goodbye to one of them, one gave me a proper cuddle and I cried - that's the only proper touch I've had or am likely to have this year apart from when I see Mum.