Personal space. - How close is too close?

Edward T. Hall stated that personal space is the region surrounding each person, or that area which a person considers their domain or territory.

If you feel very uncomfortable, nervous or irritated when someone gets too close physically, emotionally or verbally, that means the person has invaded your personal territory? How far and how much one needs varies for each person and depends on her own rules.

In an intimate relationship, being too clingy can result in suffocation. You should make your partner understand and claim your personal boundary, within limits. This is the time when you can do you own thing and have your own personal territory. You need alone time to think through things and not lose your autonomy.

Give your partner some area for himself too. Don't wait until he demands for it. By this time, usually, he is fed up with the lack of space around him.

When it comes to friends, it is healthy to allow for a certain distance or personal boundary. There are some things very private and are not meant to be shared or intruded.

Personal space is not only the invisible distance that someone can come close to you. You also need an area at home or at work where you feel so much at ease. Unless you create your comfort zone, you are going to feel like an outsider at your own place.

When it comes to conversations that get too personal, you can tell the other person that you do not wish to further it and give some valid reasons, if you care to do so. You can also change the subject.

You alone should determine how close is too close for you. You will be able to tell from your gut feelings. The best way to make other people understand is to communicate your needs. Don't assume they will understand from your gestures because not many people notice things.

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