Diminished sexual appetite refers to a low level of sexual desire. A person with this disorder will neither initiate nor respond adequately to the partner’s desire for sexual activity, says sexologist in Delhi.
The diminished sexual appetite may be primary (in which the person has never felt a desire or interest in sexual activity), or secondary (in which the person has had a period of normal sexual appetite, which he has no longer).
Also, the diminished sexual appetite can be related to the partner (the person may be interested in other people, but not to his own partner) or general (the person was not sexual interest to anyone). The extreme form is sexual aversion, in which the person not only lacks the sexual desire but finds that the sexual activity is repulsive, says the best sexologist in Delhi.
Sometimes sexual desire is not diminished. The two partners have different levels of sexual interest, even though both levels are normal.
There are also people who claim that their partner has a diminished sexual appetite, when in fact they have an exaggerated sexual desire and are very sexually demanding.
Causes
Diminished sexual appetite is a common sexual disorder. It often occurs when one of the partners does not feel close enough to the other.
Communication problems, lack of affection, power struggle and conflicts, and not being together long enough are the most common factors. Decreased sexual appetite can also occur in people who have received a very strict sexual education in childhood, negative attitudes towards sex or traumatic sexual experiences (such as rape, incest or sexual abuse), explains top sexologist in Delhi.
Diseases and some medications can contribute to this disorder, especially if it causes fatigue, pain or poor overall condition. Sometimes low levels of certain hormones may be involved. Psychological conditions such as depression or excessive stress can lead to decreased sexual interest, says sexologist doctor in Delhi.
The most overlooked factors include insomnia or lack of sleep, which causes fatigue. Diminished sexual appetite can be associated with other sexual disorders and can sometimes be caused by them.
For example, a woman who cannot orgasm or have pain during sexual contact, or a man who has erectile dysfunction or delayed ejaculation problems may lose interest in sexual activity because they associate it with failure or do not feel well in these situations, explains sex specialist in Delhi.
Adolescents who have been victims of childhood sexual abuse or rape, and those whose marriage lacks emotional intimacy, are particularly at risk of having a low sexual appetite.
Symptoms
The main symptom is the lack of interest in sexual activity.
Investigations
In most cases, medical examination and laboratory tests will not show somatic causes.
However, testosterone is the hormone that drives sexual desire in both women and men. Testosterone levels can be investigated especially in men with diminished sexual appetite.
The blood for these tests should be harvested before 10 am when the male hormone level is highest.
Consultation with a sex doctor in Delhi specializing in sexuality issues will most likely lead to the discovery of the causes.
Treatment
Low sex desire treatment in Delhi should be directed to factors that decrease sexual interest. There can often be many factors.
Some couples will need couples or marital therapy before focusing on increasing sexual interest. Other couples will need to learn how to resolve conflicts and differences in non-sexual areas.
Communication training helps couples learn how to talk to each other, show empathy, resolve differences with sensitivity and respect for each other’s feelings, learn how to express their anger in a positive way, to set aside time for activities together, and to show affection to encourage sexual desire.
Many couples will also need to focus on sexual intercourse. Through education and various topics that the couple can accomplish together, they will learn to increase the time they devote to sexual activity. Some couples will also need to learn how to approach their partner in a more interesting way, and how to delicately and tactfully refuse a sexual invitation.
Problems with impotence and sexual performance that inhibit sexual appetite must also be addressed. Some sexologists in Delhi recommend treating women with oral or cream testosterone, often combined with estrogen, but there is no clear evidence that these low sex desire treatment in Delhi would be helpful.
Prognosis
Disorders related to sexual desire are often difficult to treat. It seems that they are harder to treat if they appear in men.
Complications
When both partners have a lower sexual appetite, this does not become a problem in the relationship. However, the low sexual appetite may also be a sign of a couple problems.
In other cases, where there is an excellent and loving relationship, low sexual desire can cause one of the partners to feel hurt and rejected. These can lead to resentment and make the two partners feel emotionally distant, says sexologist in Delhi.
Sexuality is something that can make the relationship even closer, or it can break it. When one partner is less interested in sex than the other, and this has become a source of conflict, he or she should seek professional help from sexologist in Delhi before the relationship becomes even more tense.
Prevention
A good way to prevent this disorder is to set aside time for non-sexual intimacy. Couples who set aside time each week to talk or go out alone, without children, will maintain a closer relationship and are more likely to maintain their sexual interest, says sexologist in Delhi.
Also, couples should separate sex and affection so that they no longer fear that the manifestation of affection will be seen as an invitation to sex.
Reading some books or taking a couple communication courses can encourage feelings of closeness. For some people, reading books or watching romantic movies can encourage sexual desire.