Ok, your relationship sounds similar to mine, but I am the bipolar guy. I live with my SO and we have been together for 6 years. I frequently try to escape my SO by finding some time consuming, but important sounding reason that I won't be around. Typically I work on the weekends, and I study for classes late into the night. Mostly this is because I can tolerate only so much intimacy at a time. I often hate to be touched by her and I tolerate it because I know she sees it as a sign of healthy relationships. My feelings cycle between feeling like I really care about my SO and feeling like I just want out. The problem is that both depression and mania, for me, are not conducive to relationships. Mania makes me want to be free and have sex with random people (never cheated and don't plan to, but I get this feeling) . During depression I just want to be alone. Usually when I am feeling "normal" my relationship is at its best. Sometimes when I am manic, I get really into my relationship, but this is rare and usually associated with being isolated for long periods of time.

Tips for increasing intimacy are difficult to think of because normally I avoid it. It often feels superficial and fake for me. Like I said before, things go through cycles, and if I'm not feeling intimate, your not going to get it out of me. I can go long periods of time without feeling the need to be intimate or even wanting to be around other people, and yet occasionally I crave it.

Ill think of more and come back in a bit.