Intimacy gives us a state of togetherness in a relationship, with shared self-esteem that in balance, produces happiness and resistance to the hurt, grief, and loss of stress. It affords sharing of resources that must occur in a lasting partnership, and makes two, compatible partners, more effective at reaching individual and shared goals than either could, alone.
When there is not enough of it, the couple is overly independent, and when there is too much of it, to the point that it seems perpetual and constant, the couple is codependent.
As such, intimacy is only really present for those with a mature romantic relationship where there is interdependence - the dynamic opening and closing of the personal boundary to match the needs and circumstances between two people, with fairness.
