No, it’s not a typo. We really did mean to write IDD, not ADD. While IDD is a serious and potentially relationship-threatening condition, you won’t find it listed in the DSM (Diagnostic and Statistical Manual) or any other professional publication. IDD or Intimacy Deficiency Disorder is a widespread phenomenon that affects vast numbers of couples in America and other industrialized nations.

As the name implies, IDD refers to a deficit of intimacy in a primary relationship.

As many couples have learned from their own experience, such a deficit can have profound consequences that can jeopardize the foundation of even long-term partnerships, often leading to deep resentment, apathy, hopelessness, boredom, disinterest, affairs, depression, addictive or compulsive behavior and divorce. Sometimes referred to as the “silent killer” because of its tendency to gradually and subtly insinuate itself into relationships, IDD often first shows up as a minor irritant or disappointment that is experienced by one or both partners.