Unlike HSD, in which a person might be able to engage in sexual activity even though he or she has little or no desire to do so, a person with a sexual aversion reacts with strong disgust or fear to a sexual interaction. Men and women with sexual aversion seek to avoid any genital contact, […]

Treatment of hypoactive sexual desire disorder depends on many factors, including the individual and his or her relationship. Sex and marital therapy have both been found to be effective, although they may not be as effective in couples experiencing relationship discrepancy in desire Differences in levels of sexual desire in a couple. difficulties on top […]

Psychological causes for HSD may include a lack of attraction to one’s partner, fear of intimacy and/or pregnancy, marital or relationship conflicts, religious concerns, de­pression, and other psychological disorders. HSD can also result from negative messages about female sexuality while growing up, treating sex as a chore, a concern over loss of control, or a […]

When someone has hypoactive sexual desire (HSD), there are diminished or absent feel­ings of sexual interest in, or desire for, sexual activity (Heiman, 2002). However, a per­son with a HSD can still function sexually even though he or she often does not feel in­terested in sex. Studies have found that 33% of women and 16% […]

The DSM-IV-TR has two categories of sexual desire disorders, hypoactive sexual desire (HSD) and sexual aversion. Although there appear to be fewer cases of male hypoac­tive sexual desire than female, these lower reports may be because men feel less com­fortable discussing the problem. Although there are no overall statistics available for prevalence of sexual aversion, […]

Treatment of most sexual dysfunctions begins with a medical history and workup to identify any physiological causes. In addition to a medical history and exam, it is also im­portant to evaluate any past sexual trauma or abuse that may cause or contribute to the dysfunction. After identifying causes for a sexual dysfunction, the next step […]

Sexual dysfunctions are categorized as either primary or secondary, and situational or global. A primary sexual dysfunction is one that has always existed, whereas a secondary sexual dysfunction is one in which a dysfunction developed after a period of adequate functioning. A situational sexual dysfunction is a dysfunction that occurs during certain sexual activities or […]

The prevalence of sexual dysfunction increases with age (Araujo et al., 2004; R. W. Lewis et al., 2004). This is mainly due to physical factors such as disease, disability, illness, and the use of many commonly used drugs. Prescription drugs may cause a loss of sexual desire, erectile or ejaculatory problems, and/or orgasm problems in […]

Psychological factors that can interfere with sexual functioning include unconscious fears, ongoing stress, anxiety, depression, guilt, anger, fear of infidelity, partner conflict, fear of intimacy, dependency, abandonment, and/or loss of control, all of which may im­pair the ability to respond sexually. As we discussed in Chapter 10, the various pressures and time commitments of two-career […]

ollege students were asked whether they had ever had a sexual experience in which they, or their partner, had trouble with sexual function­ing. Many said they had experienced problems and had trouble talking to their partners about it. As you read the following accounts, notice how the women often feel responsible for their partner’s sexual […]