Touch Hunger

Touch hunger or skin hunger is the physiological need humans have for touch and interaction. This can often be misconstrued as a need for sex but is usually a deeper need to touch and be touched. .
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This need goes so deep that it not only affects mental health outcomes but also physical health ones. Research shows that touch hunger can result in loneliness, depression, stress, immune deficiency and poorer health consequences over time. .
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Touch hunger, if experienced early enough on in life, can go so far as creating a disorder called alexithymia, which is the inability to express or interpret emotion appropriately. .
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While long terms effects of early life touch hunger may better handled in a therapy setting, the good news is touch hunger isn’t a permanent state! So make sure you are getting and giving as much touch as you need to meet your touch needs!