Hypoactive Sexual Desire Disorder (HSDD) – Foods That Increases Your Sex Drive

Hypoactive sexual desire disorder occurs when there is a lack of interest in sexual activity accompany by distress. It is normal for individual to feel lack of sexual desire at any moment in their lives as long as the lack of desire is not associated with any types of distress. HSDD can affect both sexes but it is more common among women who may experience tension and anxiety instead of arousal during sexual interaction.

HSDD is the most common form of female sexual dysfunction that causes lack of desire for sexual fantasy and sexual activity. Women suffering from HSDD have low level of sexual interest and they neither initiate nor do they respond to sexual intimacy with a partner. Some women with HSDD are able to experience arousal and orgasm during sexual interaction and others may experience distress. Some may experience arousal during sexual interaction but they do not have the desire to experience sexual excitement.

HSDD affect homosexual people who have not fully accepted their sexual orientation due to negative beliefs associated with homosexuality prevents them from fully expressing their own sexuality. HSDD also affect couples who are dissatisfied with their sexual relationships because both partners refused to compromise and accommodate one another.

Some women are affected by sexual aversion disorder which caused extreme fear for sexual activity. Some of the negative feelings associated with sexual aversion disorder may include discomfort, disgust, repulsion, and irrational fear from sexual activity.

Other negative feelings may also include intense anxiety and panic from the thought of sexual contact and some may also experience physiological symptoms that may include sweating, nausea, increase heart rate, trembling, dizziness, or diarrhea from irrational fear of sexual activity.

Causes of Hypoactive Sexual Desire Disorder

Hypoactive sexual desire disorder may be caused by physical factor, emotional factor or both. Physical cause of HSDD may include the following.

• Hormonal changes during menopause and pregnancy
• Certain prescribed medication
• High blood pressure
• Arthritis
• Diabetes
• Cancer
• Painful intercourse
• Orgasmic disorder
• Fatigue
• Alcohol and drug abuse

Emotions cause of HSDD may include the following

• Relationship problems
• Unresolved conflicts
• Lack of affections
• Ineffective communication
• Lack of romance
• Lack of love
• Lack of emotional closeness
• Stress and anxiety
• Depression
• Low self-esteem
• Self-image problems
• Sexual abuse
• Emotional abuse

Types of Treatment

Emotions cause of HSDD can be treated with sex therapy or psychotherapy. Sex therapy focus on treating HSDD caused by emotional distress and psychotherapy can help treat emotion related problems associated with low self-esteem and self-image problems. Couples can also work on their relationship problems by having effective communication, increasing affections for one another, increasing romance, making time for sexual intimacy, and experimenting with new sexual activity.

Physical cause of HSDD can be treated with Hormone replacement therapy (HRT) and testosterone replacement therapy. HRT treatment may involve treating with estrogen alone or a combination of estrogen and progesterone. Estrogen is the main sex hormone in women that is responsible for increase sex drive and pleasure from sexual stimulation. Estrogen help to increase blood flow to the genital area and improve sexual desire. HRT is available in different application and these include pills, patches, skin gel, vaginal cream, and vaginal ring.

Testosterone is one of the hormones that are responsible for increasing female sex drive, testosterone therapy is used to treat woman with very low level of testosterone and also help to improve sexual desire. Testosterone supplements can be taken orally, administered by injection, applied as gel or patches.

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