Loss of sexual desire is essentially due to psychological and physiological factors , although in most cases it can be treated clinically. It is usually a secondary manifestation of organic, psychological and mental behavioral conditions. In this sense, the inhibition of sexual desire has a very diverse etiology. Its most common causes are discussed below.
Index
Psychological factors
Included here are the false expectations that hyper sexualization has created among younger generations. This sociocultural phenomenon, associated with the world of marketing and consumption, has distorted the emotional and sexual behavior of society. The overestimation of the body and intercourse has a contrary effect on the sexual behavior of people, who fail in their attempt to fulfill these false expectations.
On the other hand, a society that is increasingly interconnected does not imply a society that is increasingly involved and close. Life in the city, focused on subsistence and work, can lead to loss of sexual desire. Emotions, such as fear and anxiety , generated by the lack of successes and opportunities, social and job insecurity, economic and emotional problems, can affect people’s sexual desire.
Otherwise, the cycle of asexual behaviors is fueled by the fear of not being able to fulfill the sexual expectations of the other. With more failures, people could go into episodes of stress and anxiety. In these cases, it is advisable to seek the help of professionals in behavioral psychology, to tackle chronic situations in time, such as depression, which have even more serious consequences.
The loss or decrease of libido in men and women can be precisely associated with chronic stress and with states of general dissatisfaction, professional and family failures. The absence of sexual interests in people with depressive states, without functional problems of the sexual apparatus, has been clinically verified.
Mental health is as important as physical health. When people have been exposed to traumatic sexual experiences they regularly suffer from post-traumatic stress . In particular, sexual abuse in childhood and rape in adulthood leave perennial psychological consequences, which must be treated by specialists. One of those consequences could be the blockage of sexual desire.
How is it related to asexuality?
Asexuality is a rare cause, consisting of a lack of sexual attraction throughout life. It does not exceed 1% of the world population and a significant percentage is not aware of being asexual.
Asexual people experience very low levels of sexual attraction towards someone or do not want to share their sexuality with other people. Research has shown that asexuals generally do not have sexual intercourse, and when they have sexual encounters they state that they are not satisfactory.
In principle, asexuality is not due to ideological, cultural or religious motivations . In the most recent studies in the psychological area, it has been classified as a type of sexual orientation and, until proven otherwise, it is not considered a desire disorder.
You can only speak of a disorder when a person had sexual desires and lost them for some reason. Loss of sexual desire is regularly accompanied by clinically detectable distress or stress , but asexual people do not experience distress about their asexuality, properly speaking.
In any case, asexuals feel anxieties promoted by social pressure and the issue of sexual roles and behaviors, such as the social urge to have sexual appetites and relationships and satisfy another person who is not asexual. It is a reality that non-asexuals believe that sex is a means of love and intimacy.
However, from the perspective of psychoanalysis, asexuality was seen as the consequence of pathological situations . And it is that from this perspective sexual desires are only inhibited or would manifest themselves through sublimation and deviation in neurotic symptoms, but one can never speak of the absence and disappearance of sexual desires.
Although biological grounds have been considered as causes for asexuality, it cannot be considered an inability to function sexually. In the case of asexual women, the sexual responses at the organic level are similar to those of any woman, regardless of their sexual preference.
Taking a more open perspective, psychological and social factors have also been considered in addition to the biological one , as the basis of its etiology. That is, asexuality would be the result of a sum of factors. But, in general, there is not enough scientific information about its etiology.
Physiological and organic factors
Sexual disinterest or decreased sex drive is known to be related to hormonal changes due to menopause or andropause . In the elderly, the production of progesterone and testosterone decreases in women and men, respectively. In more specific cases, the woman who recently went into labor suffers the downward alteration of her sexual desires, because she has obviously gone through hormonal changes.
Taking certain medications can also alter sexual desire. It is understood that these side effects are temporary and are overcome once the treatment is finished or modified. Specifically, the side effects are focused on erectile dysfunction, vaginal dryness or hormonal changes.
Recent studies have determined that the brain enzyme aromatase is responsible for sexual desire in men. This enzyme transforms testosterone into estradiol, which in turn is an essential estrogen for the control of reproductive function in both males and females.
The studies carried out confirmed that sexual behavior can be modified through the inhibition or potentiation of the activity of this enzyme. For example, hypoactive sexual desire disorder is a side effect of many medications.
The consumption of drugs and alcohol is another of the factors that produce functional and hormonal (and psychological) disorders that affect people’s sexual behavior.
In conclusion
Apart from the asexuality already defined, sexually capable people could go through stages of inhibition of sexual desires due to unsatisfactory past relationships. Failures in affective relationships could cause temporary loss of sexual interest. In the case of couples, the sexual routine without passion gradually generates fatigue and, consequently, sexual desires are also lost.
The tense and conflictual situations , which usually occur within a relationship, they also generate disturbance and decreased sexual interest. Couples enter a kind of vicious circle. The reasons can range from manageable situations to serious cases; from financial problems, through jealousy, to verbal and physical abuse. These conflicts accelerate the deterioration of the relationship.
The unexpected changes in life , even if the positive long as the change of address, time zones, from one climate to another, raising a newborn child; or negative ones, such as environmental catastrophes or the death of a loved one, among others, can temporarily interfere with people’s sexual appetite, whether or not they live as a couple.
Many people consciously prioritize their daily activities according to the course of their lives, leaving sexual relations in the background, even if they have been pleasant. In this way, they focus their efforts for several years on finishing a professional career or they dedicate themselves to work in order to advance their career. Any sexual activity is reduced to complacency or is suspended until the person decides that it is time to look for a partner.
When sexual loss of appetite lasts for many years for no apparent reason, to the detriment of personal interests , it is recommended to seek the help of a psychotherapist.
Alexa Clark specializes in Cognitive Behavioral Therapy. She has experience in listening and welcoming in Individual Therapy and Couples Therapy. It meets demands such as generalized anxiety, professional, love and family conflicts, stress, depression, sexual dysfunction, grief, and adolescents from 15 years of age. Over the years, She felt the need to conduct the psychotherapy sessions with subtlety since She understands that the psychologist acts as a facilitator of self-understanding and self-acceptance, valuing each person's respect, uniqueness, and acceptance.