How Mental Health Problems Might Affect Your Sex Life?
Mental health problems may affect your sexual life.
Mental health difficulties and relationship problems affect your sex life. How you feel about yourself reflects in how much you and your partner can enjoy sex. If you are feeling low and anxious, maybe tired, your self-image is likely to be low and this may contribute towards a loss of interest.
Some people experience anxiety over sexual identity and this can exacerbate or trigger mental health problems. People who have had abusive childhood experiences, and who are vulnerable to psychological distress, may experience difficulties around sex. Anxiety makes it difficult for people to ‘let go’ and ‘enjoy’ themselves – for example, some people find it difficult to reach orgasm (anorgesmia). Whilst it would be rewarding to have fulfilling sex life, often sex is the last thing on your mind whilst you are experiencing mental health problems.
Some illnesses can actually increase the sex drive (libido). People who are experiencing a ‘manic’ episode, for example, may go through overwhelming feelings of sexual desire and may become quite promiscuous.
Medication and Sex ‘Drive’
Psychotropic mecications, for example anti-depressants, may affect sex drive and performance. You may feel reduced libido. Men may also experience impotence (inability to get sustain an erection), or delayed ejaculation.
How to Get Help If You’re Worried About Your Sex Life?
Discuss this with your GP/health care team. It might be worth considering drugs such as Viagra for men finding difficulty getting and sustaining an erection. You might discuss whether an alternative medication would be more appropriate for you. You can, of course, address any sexual issues with your therapist if you are receiving professional psychological input.
If you think you are experiencing sexual difficulties linked to past issues, discuss this with your therapist/GP.
Top Tips
- Try not to worry too much – worry only makes it worse!
- If men wake up with an erection in the morning it shows that they can still get an erection – but even if they don’t, they probably still can!
- Concentrate on getting as healthy as you can with your initial psychological problem – for the time being that may well be far more important.
- Talk about the problem with your partner – you could think about ideas around satisfying your partner sexually whilst you are unwell. It may well be an opportunity to get closer in other ways, and improve your sex life when it resumes.
- Don’t be ashamed – almost everyone experiences sexual difficulties at some time.
Books
Sex Therapy – a Practical Guide by Keith Hawton (This is a professional’s book but you may find it useful to find out what help you may be offered and what you may be able to do to help yourself.)
