Hyderabad: Be it a man or a woman, sometimes both experience a lack of sex drive or desire to have sex. A decrease in sex drive is a common factor with increasing age, but many physical and mental issues also cause reluctance towards sex in young men and women. Loss of libido can also occur due to a serious illness. But the matter of concern is that even after noticing its symptoms, both men and women shy away from talking about it, let alone trying to treat it. This reluctance starts affecting their overall health as well as their relationships.
Dr Irfan Qureshi, MD General Medicine and a sexologist from Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh, states that being sexually active regularly has physical, mental, and emotional benefits for both men and women in different ways such as reduced stress levels, a happy mind, it relieves pain in the body, improves blood circulation which prevents heart diseases and controls blood pressure, improves the immune system, improves skin health, improves the quality of sleep, burns calories, and helps the body to stay in shape.
He further explains that good sexual activity enables the production and secretion of hormones like Dopamine, Oxytocin, Norepinephrine, Serotonin, and Prolactin in the body. The secretion of these hormones benefits physical and mental health in many ways, increases sensitivity and excitement in the organs, and keeps the mind happy, which helps couples to sustain a healthy relationship.
Dr Irfan Qureshi explains that various reasons regarding physical, mental and emotional health and mutual behaviour can be responsible for a lack of sex drive in both, men and women. He adds that apart from common health reasons, increasing age, hormonal imbalance, and sometimes your partners' behaviour are also responsible for the decrease in sex drive in women.
Generally, most men prioritise their choices, their comfort and their orgasm while having sex, ignoring the factors of whether the woman is ready, both physically and mentally, for sex, what activities excite her and pleasure her, does she enjoy the act as much as the man, and is she able to reach an orgasm during the act? Most men tend to neglect women's desires during sex, which leads to sex just being a routine for women instead of being an act of satisfaction or happiness. This also becomes the reason for many women to refrain from sex.
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During menopause, hormonal imbalance, disease or infection in women's bodies, the secretion of discharge which acts as a natural lubricant in women's vaginas gets decreased, which causes pain and discomfort during sex. This is also a cause for decreased sexual activity in women. Apart from these, there are many reasons which can cause a decrease in libido in women, some of which are as follows:
- Pain and discomfort due to vaginal stitches after childbirth, especially during normal delivery.
- Infection or disease in the vagina or reproductive organ.
- Hormonal imbalance due to menopause.
- Due to sex with multiple (more than one) partners.
- Due to the effect of a disease, therapy or medication.
- Due to any kind of sexual abuse, trauma or accident in the past.
- Burning sensations or pain while urinating.
- Abnormal vaginal bleeding.
- Stress and fatigue, etc.
Dr Qureshi says that this condition is diagnosed more in men. Usually, one out of every five men faces the issue of a decreased libido due to stress, hormonal imbalance, lifestyle factors and health-related reasons. He explains that some of the reasons for a decreased desire to have sex in men are as follows:
- A structural problem in the penis.
- Problems with the prostate.
- Serious diseases such as cancer.
- Side-effects of radiation therapy or chemotherapy.
- Side-effects of medicines and steroids such as antidepressants and blood pressure medication.
- Comorbid conditions such as arthritis and diabetes.
- Sexually transmitted diseases and infections.
- Hormonal imbalance, especially low testosterone levels.
- Pornography addiction.
- Excessive masturbation.
- Unhealthy diet habits.
- Lack of exercise or physical activity.
- Smoking, drinking too much alcohol or using drugs.
- Consuming excessive amounts of caffeine.
- Lack of sleep, or decreased quality of sleep.
Dr Irfan Qureshi explains that a decrease in sex drive, or a lack of libido, is still not considered a serious issue among people. Most people tend to ignore it and feel ashamed to discuss it or even talk about it with others, which is incorrect. Sex is an essential activity for the human body which brings many benefits to the body. Also, reluctance regarding sex is seen as a symptom of some serious diseases and conditions. In such situations, ignoring this problem can delay the timely treatment of other diseases or problems.
He says that if this condition is noticed in a man or a woman, then one should first try to recognise its symptoms and causes such as severe stress, depression or PTSD, and then they should try to manage these issues. People can work around these issues with the help of Yoga, meditation or exercise. Whereas if the symptoms and effects of these problems are intense, then the help of a doctor or a counsellor becomes necessary. If this issue is caused due to the effects of a disease, treatment or medication, or a hormonal problem, then a doctor must be consulted immediately.
