diary of male escort Adam River: The Magic of Touch - Why Your Body is Literally Craving For Physical Connection
We all know this instinctively, I feel, but the need for someone to put their hands on us, to hold as and caress our skin isn't one often felt - until we are unable to meet it.
Have you ever noticed how a warm embrace can make a terrible day suddenly feel manageable? Or how holding hands with someone you care about can calm those pre-presentation jitters? Turns out, your body isn't just being dramatic—there's some seriously cool science happening under the surface.
A massive 2024 study published in Nature Human Behaviour analysed 137 studies involving nearly 13,000 people and found that touch interventions have medium-sized positive effects on both physical and mental wellbeing (1). Here's where it gets interesting:
Touch was particularly effective at reducing pain, depression, and anxiety in adults, while also helping newborns gain weight and regulate stress hormones. We're talking about measurable changes—not just people saying they "felt better." It didn't really matter whether the touch came from a familiar person, like a partner, or from a healthcare professional—both showed similar health benefits in adults. (Though for newborns, parental touch was significantly more beneficial, which makes evolutionary sense.)
This is the most incredible finding, don't you think? Our bodies don't discriminate when it comes to quality touch! Whether it's your best friend, your partner, a skilled massage therapist, or a full-service male escort in Sydney - your nervous system is just happy someone's paying attention.
Now for the flip side. Research shows that deprivation of physical touch can result in people experiencing negative sensations like feelings of emptiness and loneliness. Studies during COVID-19 found that intimate touch deprivation was associated with higher anxiety and greater loneliness (2).
What these studies have shown is that physical contact is intimately related to bond-building and emotion communication, and touch plays a crucial role in reducing perceptions of loneliness. Think about it—we're literally wired for connection. When humans are deprived of skin-to-skin contact with others, it can lead to feelings of loneliness, stress, anxiety, and emptiness, partly because oxytocin (one of the four 'happy hormones') is released through physical touch.
"Touch hunger" is real, and our bodies know the difference between scrolling through Instagram and actual human contact. Sorry, apps—you can't activate oxytocin receptors (dopamine is obviously a whole different barrel of fish...).
Here's where things get deliciously scientific. Research found that partners had lower levels of cortisol (the stress hormone) on days when they enjoyed higher levels of physical touch and intimacy, like more hugs or physical affirmations, perhaps a morning or lunchtime tryst, even a passionate kiss before work. And high cortisol? That's the stuff that increases heart rate and blood pressure—basically, it's your body's panic button. And the cure? Reach out and touch someone!
Studies found that physical touch benefits mental and physical health around sleep, heart rate, mood, blood pressure, mobility, anxiety, depression, fatigue, and pain for adults, with touch interventions being most helpful in reducing pain, depression, and anxiety. Even better? Research shows that people who engage in regular, physical, intimate touch are less likely to experience symptoms of anxiety and depression, and also report higher levels of life satisfaction.
Touch is basically your body's built-in chill pill, freely accessible whenever we recognise the need!
The Bottom Line is, we're all social creatures. Touch isn't just about feeling warm and fuzzy—it's about fundamental human health. Love and attachment through affectionate touch can generate physiological benefits like better health and higher resilience against stress and pain. And remember: that's even if you're not familiar with the person that's holding you, stroking you, pulling you into their arms... Extraordinary!
Of course, this is probably the best - and most important - part of my job. I have to say though, I LOVE touching and putting my hands on women. I adore it, I always have. It's a kinetic conversation, and we have it on a vibrational, electromagnetic and chemical level. It's one of the things I love the most about shibari (Japanese rope bondage) - it guides the communication between bodies, provides it with a beautiful script. We need so much more of this good stuff; it reminds us we're not just brains floating in jars, scrolling through life. We're physical beings who vitally need physical connection to thrive.
And if you're thinking, "But I don't like being touched!"—that's okay. Even a gentle touch on the shoulder can trigger those good-feeling neurochemicals. Being able to relax and allow ourselves to be touched is part of learning that we are safe, and that it's okay for us to feel good. We all deserve intimacy and affection. If you need to be touched, please don't hesitate to contact me - I'd love to help you feel safe, adored, and sexy!
*Remember: This article is about the general benefits of consensual touch in healthy relationships and therapeutic settings. Always respect boundaries, and seek professional support if you're experiencing persistent feelings of loneliness or depression.*
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References:
(1) Nature Human Behaviour, DOI: 10.1038/s41562-024-01841-8, www.nature.com/articles/s41562-024-01841-8
(2) Adaptive Human Behavior and Physiology, DOI: 10.1007/s40750-020-00138-0, www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7224159/
(3) Scientific Reports, DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-31502-1, www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC10076325/
