Sexual Interest/ Arousal Disorder
Nichole D
What is Inhibited Sexual Desire?
Causes
ISD can be caused by many different factors that could be emotional or physical. Some physical causes can be:
- drugs (alcohol, nicotine, narcotics, stimulants, antihypertensives, antihistamines, or most psychotherapeutic drugs)
- complications related to back, prostate, or vascular surgeries
- failure of various organ systems (such as the circulatory and respiratory systems)
- endocrine disorders (thyroid, pituitary, or adrenal gland problems)
- neurological problems caused by trauma (such as spinal cord injuries) or disease (such as diabetic neuropathy, multiple sclerosis, tumors, and, rarely, tertiary syphilis)
- hormonal deficiencies (low testosterone or androgens); and some fetal development abnormalities
Emotional causes of ISD include:
- interpersonal problems (marital/relationship troubles, lack of trust between partners)
- individual's psychological problems (depression, sexual fears or guilt, past sexual trauma, and so on) (Today, 2014).
Treatments For ISD
Lack Of Desire
- Seeking out a therapists who will begin by helping clients identify negative attitudes about sex, explore the origins of those ideas and find new ways of thinking about sex.
- The focus then shifts to behavior: therapists may ask clients to keep diaries of their sexual thoughts, watch erotic films or develop fantasies. Therapists also address any relationship problems.
Erectile Dysfunction and Premature Ejaculation
- First determining the root cause of the problem
- Most cases are a combo of physical and psychologial factors.
- Physical causes include illnesses like diabetes or medication side effects.
- One of the main psychological causes is performance anxiety. After the first incident, men sometimes get so nervous the problem occurs again.
- Therapy is recommended to help reduce anxiety by taking the focus off intercourse. For men with physical problems, medication or devices can help.
Treatment for Premature Ejaculation includes:
- Therapy that focuses on behavior training. The patient (with the help of their partner) can learn to control their body for extended periods of time, prolonging sexual intercourse (Association, 2015).
Painful Intercourse
For women, the typical treatment focuses on relaxation training (Association, 2015).
Myths And Misconceptions About ISD
Fact: People assume that if a woman does not want sex it is her hormones. This is not the case. According to Juan J. Ramos, a doctor at the Miami Institute for Age Management and Intervention, "The biggest misconception is that low sexual desire is all hormonal; But libido is a lot more complex than that, and overlaps with every sphere of human experience, including vascular health, mental health, nutrition, body image, stress level, and the quality of your relationship generally."
Myth #2: Emotional intimacy guarantees a good sex life
Fact: According to Kathryn Hall, author of Reclaiming Your Sexual Self, "lots of couples get really emotionally intimate and their sex life tanks anyway. For many couples, emotional intimacy makes them feel like they're best friends—but doesn't feed their desire. For many people, a far greater turn-on than emotional intimacy is feeling desired. "The secret is to forget about doing what you think is normal, and instead embrace whatever it is that makes you feel fun and young and sexy," says Hall. "Feeling desired is a prelude to feeling desire" (Dixit, 2008).
To Find A Therapist Near You?
When looking at potential therapists, WebMD suggests that you ask the following questions:
- What is your educational background?
- Are you involved in professional education work or training?
- What is your approach to therapy? What will happen during the session? What kind of time commitment is necessary?
- What are your fees?
- Have you had experience treating the problem I have?
- What do you require of me? (For example, some therapists will only see a person who is in a committed relationship) (Staff, 2015).
For more information please visit the link to the AASECT website below...
References
Association, A. P. (2015). Treatment for Sexual Problems. Retrieved from APA.org: http://www.apa.org/topics/sex/treatment.aspx
Dixit, J. (2008, February 5). Myths About Low Sexual Desire. Retrieved from Psychology Today: https://www.psychologytoday.com/articles/200802/myths-about-low-sexual-desire
Sandy Calhoun Rice, S. K. (2015, November 23). Inhibited Sexual Desire. Retrieved from Healthline: http://www.healthline.com/health/inhibited-sexual-desire#Overview1
Staff, W. (2015). Searching for Sex Therapy. Retrieved from WebMD: http://www.webmd.com/sex-relationships/features/searching-for-sex-therapy?page=2
Today, P. (2014, November 24). Sexual Arousal Disorder. Retrieved from Psychology Today: https://www.psychologytoday.com/conditions/sexual-arousal-disorder