Low Sexual Desire…How Sex Therapy Can Help
Some couples do not have sex, yet they find contentment despite this. However, others struggle when one partner in the relationship wants an more sex than the other person. A mismatch in sexual desire can lead to resentment, frustration, and disconnection, but it doesn’t have to be this way. With sex therapy, you can gain understanding of your problems with sexual desire. You can also gain an understanding of your partner’s problems so that you’re better able to be supportive.
Low sexual desire doesn’t only affect those who are in relationships. For those who are single, some will desire an increased libido, and are confused or depressed when this doesn’t happen. This makes unpacking these issues even more important. Having an increased understanding about the problem can help to make it so these problems are ones that you can work through.
Participating in sex therapy can help with the following:
1. Gain a historical understanding of your problems with sexual desire.
Sexual desire can come from our pasts. Talking with a sex therapist about when the problem with sexual desire began, can help to shed light on it in a way that helps it to make better sense. This problem may be a lifelong issue, or it may have happened more recently. Sometimes it’s something that has always been there. Other times, people haven’t identified much with their sexuality. Finally, there are those who may have had a more recent event that has created a problem with sexuality.
2. Learn about what is pleasurable to help make sex more enjoyable and inspirational.
Sex can be complicated. Many people only assume that sex is about intercourse. They aren’t in tune with sexual pleasure outside of this one part of sexual behavior. If intercourse itself isn’t the most pleasurable thing, many people struggle with identifying other pleasurable options. Sex therapy can help to explore various options to make sex more meaningful, enjoyable, and fun.
3. Unpack shameful lessons about sex.
Our culture makes it difficult to talk about sex. Our deepest sexual desires are often hidden under messages that we receive from our upbringing, and our religious backgrounds. There are also messages that surround gender norms, race, sexual orientation. This small list is just the beginning of our hang ups about sexual relationships. Sex therapy can help you expand on these hang ups in a way that makes them easier to understand, as well as easier to move through. Whether it be negotiations with yourself, or discussions with a partner, therapy can help with increased understanding.
4. Give you referrals as needed.
Many times, there are underlying medical problems that can lead to low sexual desire. These often go unnoticed due to people not realizing that this could even be a problem. A sex therapist can give you referrals to medical doctors and medical specialists can can examine you, and help with medical interventions as needed.
Low sexual desire often remains unnoticed in relationships. It is difficult to discuss, which often leads people to feel hopeless. However, with the right help, you can enhance your sexual relationship, and have a sex life that you never before thought possible.
