Jan 30, 20214 min read

What Are Intimate Hugs | Different Types Of Hugs And What They Mean

Hugs, something if done right will make a person’s day but do them wrong, and you’ll never make eye contact with that person again. Hugs are the nonverbal language of love and affection, which mends not only dating relationships but also family and friends.

There are various types of hugs known to humans, for example, Bear hugs, Polite hugs and so on, and all these different types of hugs have a lot of contrasting meanings as per various situations. Yet, one of the best kind of hug is where individuals come in full contact with each other, wherein they are embracing each other's presence and helping you feel appreciated and acknowledged. And these types of hugs are called Intimate Hugs, where a person is close to another and makes eye contact to give that warm, loving feeling to another individual.

Depending on the different types of hugs, it can indicate the intention of the hug giver, whether it’s for moral support, romantic closeness, or to provide some sort of security to another. Keeping this in mind, many intimacy researchers, after extensive research, have collaborated on a set of kinds of hugs and what they mean in various detailed studies. The following are the different types and kinds of hugs and what they intend to communicate or, in simple words, what do they mean.

The Tight Hug

This kind of hug is full-bodied, wrapped around the arm kind of hug wherein individuals usually get this sensation of warmth when hugged tightly. These types of hugs usually occur between people who have known each other for a long period and are comfortable with each other's closeness.

The Side Hug

This kind of hug is usually less intimate and is normally seen shared between long-term acquaintances or people who have a casual bond between them. In these types of hugs, people are usually standing beside each other and are using the opposite hands to do the act. These types of hugs are also great poses for photographs as they appear casual but do have some genuine meaning to them.

The Sloppy Hug

This kind of hug is usually shared on joyous occasions and does not seem to have any genuine meaning to it. Instead, these types of hug is a result of civil behaviour in casual settings. These do not mean to be intimate and are usually performed to form societal bonds between strangers.

The Quick Hug

These types of hugs are practiced rather in a hurry, but that does not mean it is a meaningless hug. This hug is rarely romantic or types of intimate hugs; however, it is performed between people to be polite or to make them comfortable around each other.

The Buddy Hug

The kind of hug where you wrap your hand around your buddy! Yes, that is nothing but a buddy hug. These are not intimate. Rather they mean to express affection towards each other. These are shared between siblings so thus are never one-sided in nature.

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The Bear Hug

This kind of hug is one of the most meaningful hugs out of the whole lot. These usually seem to be intimate and is usually done in times of immense joy. Both the individuals wrap their arms around the other and fill each other with kindness and warmth. Bear hugs tend to relieve stress in individuals and helps to give a kind assurance to each other in any relationship.

The Back hug

These types of hugs are rather different from the common way of hugging people here, and one individual hug surprises the other with this hug. Bear Hugs is used to express the powerful physical, and emotional intimacy between people and are performed between mortals who are fond of one another.

The Straddle Hug

In this kind of hug, individuals are in close contact with each other while maintaining strong eye contact with each other. These are private and have an underlying sexual tone to them. This is shared between romantic partners as it accentuates the trust and the bond between lovers.

The Pickpocket Hug

Remember the scene from the movie Sixteen Candles where the guy puts his hand in the girl’s back pocket? Well, that is nothing but a pickpocket hug. In these types of hug, people usually embrace the passionate side of them towards each other. It is a symbol of affection towards each other and hence provides a sense of security in one’s relationship.

The Self Hug

These types of hugs are one of a special kind of hug. To feel secure, one cannot always seem to rely on others to fulfil their emotional needs so, in such scenarios, Self hugs are the best way to lighten your mood. Wrapping your arms around yourself will not only help you to love yourself but even help you reduce stress and anxiety and provide a sense of trust in yourself too.

Advantages Of Hugging

Hugging benefits both our physical as well as mental well-being. The act of hugging has been linked to reduce stress, promote intimacy, exchange energy, and form trustworthy relationships. Hugging releases the hormone oxytocin and serotonin, which are our happy hormones, which is why we urge to hug our loved one.

Studies also show that hugging decreases physical pain and help in building better cardiovascular health. This shows how necessary it is for humans to practice this activity to live a mentally healthy and joyous life.

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The Crux

Hugging is an essential part of any human being’s life. If one is not drawn to hugging naturally, they need to understand how important is this activity for an individual’s well-being. People should learn to apply the right kind of hug for various types of situations.

Depending on the closeness and their intentions to form a genuine, meaningful, and trustworthy relationship or even to help anyone lighten up their mood, different types of hugs, whether intimate or not, come into play.