Busy - Intimacy anorexics stay so busy that they have little time for their spouse.

There are often more subtle ways in which anorexics are able to keep themselves so busy that they have little time for their spouse.

Staying so busy inside of the house may include: doing homework together with a child (without the spouse), playing with the children and excluding the spouse, housework or working on solo projects around the house. Technology is a dream come true for many intimacy anorexics, since it can feel as if they are actually doing something or relating to the images on some type of screen. Some intimacy anorexics have busy avoidant strategies outside of the home to actively withhold intimacy from their spouse. These activities can be positive and easily justified by the intimacy anorexic.

Example: “Busy was just an excuse. Priorities were really messed up, such as not spending quality time with my spouse, and not putting him first. The kids and their needs took over and there was no balance. It became easy for me to “fill my day” with activities, so I was exhausted and would fall asleep early with no energy, e.g., cleaning, cooking, doing school activities, church, and Sunday school.”