Sexual health is an important part of living and it contributes to a better quality of life. However, experiencing problems with your sexual performance is common among both men and women. Having sexual disorders can add to your worry and decrease your confidence, however, the majority of the sexual issues are treatable to a great extent. Therefore, identifying them and seeking support

What are Sexual Disorders?

Sexual disorders are issues that keep an individual or a couple from achieving sexual satisfaction. These are problems that can occur at any phase during a sexual response cycle. Usually, one experiences orgasms, excitement, joy, and satisfaction during sexual intercourses. But, with someone who has a sexual disorder, there may be decreased satisfaction or performance and even no joy at all.

Simply put, sexual disorders are problems that prevent you from enjoying your sexual life. Sexual disorders can include both physical and psychological problems and can have a profound effect on a person’s perceived quality of sexual life. Sexual disorders are not limited to genders and can affect people of almost any age. However, these disorders are more common in people above 40 years old because at this age a person’s health starts to decline.

There are four major categories of sexual disorders:

Desire disorders

Also known as low libido, desire disorders refer to a loss of interest in sexual activities.

Arousal Disorders

It becomes difficult and sometimes impossible to get physically aroused during sexual activity. The most common type of this disorder is erectile dysfunction in men. Even with a desire for sex, a person with an arousal disorder may be unable to get any satisfaction from it.

Orgasm disorders

During an orgasm disorder, it becomes difficult for you to achieve orgasm. You may experience delays in orgasm or even complete absence of climax. Although these are most common in women, they can happen to men as well.

Pain disorders

These disorders involve pain during intercourse. Pain may be caused by vaginal dryness, Urinary tract infections, or hormonal changes during menopause. For men, this pain may be caused by skin conditions such as genital herpes, yeast infections, and some physical damage to the penis area.

How to find a Sexual Problems Therapist

If you are looking to find the perfect Sexual Problems therapist it is crucial to make sure that they have the appropriate qualifications, knowledge and experience. At Expat Therapy 4U we only accept therapists who have full professional proficiency in English and are highly experienced in working with people from culturally diverse backgrounds. The clinicians we approve share our values and commitment to provide high quality therapy to the expatriate community in the private sector across Europe and online worldwide. We strongly believe that therapy changes lives, and being accredited ensures all our therapists are qualified to a high standard. You can find a Sexual Problems therapist who is insured to practice and accredited with a recognised membership body online here.

What are the Symptoms of Sexual Disorders?

Here are some signs that could indicate you have a sexual disorder.

For men

• Failure to achieve reaction or difficulty maintaining an erection suitable for having sexual intercourse.
• Delayed or even absence of ejaculation despite achieving adequate sexual stimulation.
• Difficulty controlling the timing of erection and having premature ejaculation.
• Low libido and a decreased interest in sex.
• Unusual pain in the genital area.

For women

• Painful intercourse including involuntary spasms of the muscles surrounding the vaginal region.
• Lack of orgasms and the absence of sexual climax.
• Inability to get aroused even with adequate sexual stimulation.
• Low libido and a decreased interest in sexual activities.

In both men and women

• A general lack of desire for sexual activities.
• Inability to become aroused.
• Painful intercourse.

Causes of Sexual Disorders

Both physical and psychological factors can lead to sexual disorders. Here are some of the major causes.

• Medications such as Antidepressants (Selective Serotonin Reupate Inhibitors SSRIs) can severely damage one’s sexual desire. Sexual dysfunction is often one of the biggest side effects of using antidepressants. Using other types of medications may also cause sexual side-effects.
• Alcoholism, smoking, malnutrition, excessive use of recreational drugs, and illicit drug consumption can also harm your libido.
• Undergoing extreme forms of stress, depression, and anxiety can also lead to decreased interest and performance in sexual intercourse.
• Systemic illnesses and testosterone deficiency, usually testosterone levels decrease with rising age, so being older than 40 may also increase your chances of developing a sexual disorder.
• A history of sexual abuse and harming sexual organs.
• Nerve damage, hormonal imbalances, high blood pressure, and diabetes may also contribute to sexual disorders.
• Relationship problems, concerns about looks, low self-esteem, and past history of trauma may also cause one to feel uninterested in sex.

Treatments

Sexual disorders can usually be treated by correcting underlying problems with the body or mind. Treatment strategies include:

Medication

Getting in touch with your doctor and discussing your medical history may help you determine whether some medicine has been causing you sexual problems. Men and women often have hormone deficiencies and may benefit from hormone shots, pills, and creams.

Men can improve their performance with drugs such as Viagra, Cialis, and Stendra, etc as these medications can help increase blood flow to the penis. Alongside medications, mechanical aids such as vacuum devices and penile implants may help men with erectile dysfunction.

Sex Therapy

Some problems cannot be identified by going to a primary clinician. In such cases, couples can contact sex therapists who can help them address their sexual problems and also counsel in various areas for maintaining good sexual life. Going to a therapist can be well worth the time and effort. Your therapist may also teach you different behavioral techniques and give insights for avoiding harmful behavior that creates sexual problems.

Psychotherapy can also help a person deal with the sexual trauma of the past and resolve feelings of guilt, anxiety, fear, and poor body image. These can all have an impact on your sexual condition and your therapist can help you learn effective ways to deal with these issues.

Find a Sexual Problems Therapist through the Expat Therapy 4U platform

Sexual problems can damage self-esteem and influence your satisfaction in life. Fortunately, the majority of these problems can be treated with medications and proper guidance. If you feel difficulty performing sexual activities and they haven’t gone away on their own even after considerable time, you should definitely seek a medical professional that can guide you and help you overcome your sexual problems. Discussing these issues openly with your partner and doctor can help you be more comfortable with your situation. This way, you and your partner can understand the situation better and help overcome any barriers that keep you from having a healthy sex life.

Further Readings on Sexual Problems

https://www.nhs.uk/live-well/sexual-health/male-sexual-problems/

https://theinternationalpsychologyclinic.com/problems/sexual-problems-counselling-london/

https://theinternationalpsychologyclinic.com/sexual-problems-10-tips-to-improve-your-sex-life/