Low Sexual Desire Disorder: Overcoming Hypoactive Sexual Desire Disorder and Sexual Aversion Disorder
August 24, 2008 – 11:56 pm
Portraits
Virginia’s mother taught her about sex at a young age. She told Virginia that sex is dirty and it is an obligation women have. Today she is married, and avoids sex with her husband when she can.
Rob admits, “I’ve never had much of a libido.” He can perform sexually just fine, he just isn’t that interested in sex.
Definitions and Key Thoughts
The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual for Mental Disorders IV (DSM-IV) offers two separate diagnoses of low sexual desire disorder. They are “Hypoactive sexual desire disorder” and “sexual aversion disorder.”
With hypoactive sexual desire disorder, a person experiences a persistent lack of sexual desire. However, once sexual behavior is initiated sexual performance may be adequate.
Hypoactive sexual desire disorder occurs in approximately 20 percent of persons.
With sexual aversion disorder, a person feels repulsed by sexual contact. Sexual activity is minimized or avoided.
Causes of low sexual desire disorders include but are not limited to:
- Emotional problems in a relationship
- Lack of affection in a relationship
- Lack of trust in a relationship
- Personal stress
- Past sexual abuse
- Side effects of medication
- Physical illness
- Lessons learned about sex being dirty or immoral
- Negative sexual experiences
While hormonal and physical issues can affect sexual desire, in most cases the origin of hypoactive sexual desire and sexual aversion are psychological, not physical.
Action Steps for Overcoming Low Sexual Desire Disorder
1. Get a thorough checkup.
Stated above, problems with a decreased interest in sexual activity can be a response to emotional, relational, or physiological factors.
A positive first step includes getting a medical evaluation, as well as addressing any emotional experiences or relationship problems that may be occurring.
2. Improve the relationship
Once a medical cause is ruled out, talk with your partner about how the two of you can team together in improving the relationship.
Common problems couples face that effect sexual desire include destructive arguments, current or past affairs, outside stressors, and a lack of quality time together.
3. Face any emotional roadblocks
An issue, separate from one’s relationship, may be affecting sexual desire.
Consider that stresses at work, money problems, and any current fears or anger one is harboring can negatively affect sexual desire.
Also, emotional issues from one’s past—such as pain from past sexual abuse or feelings of betrayal—can effect sexual desire.
4. Consider medical treatment
After consulting with a physician, if it is considered likely that decreased sexual desire has a physiological cause, there are several treatments that have been found to be effective.
Hormone therapy for women, including low doses of testosterone, have been found effective in treating female hypoactive sexual desire disorder.
5. Counseling and psychotherapy
Counseling can be effective in the treatment of sexual desire disorder by addressing any emotional issues behind the problem. Common emotional issues that interfere with sexual desire include depression, stress and anxiety, and past sexual trauma.
In addition, couples with present relationship problems often experience sexual difficulties. By improving one’s relationship through couples counseling, symptoms of low sexual desire could dissipate.
