Sexual aversion is, according to the ICD-10 classification, a sexual disorder in which the person affected feels anxiety in the perspective of sexual contact. Experienced anxiety is so strong that the patient avoids sexual activity (aversion).
Symptoms of sexual aversion
Symptoms of sexual aversion may resemble those that occur when experiencing severe anxiety – trembling and sweating hands, shortness of breath, rapid heartbeat, dizziness. Depending on the degree of the disorder, the symptoms may appear just before intercourse, while being with the partner (not sexually), or when just thinking about the prospect of sexual contact.
Causes of sexual aversion
The causes of sexual aversion are multiple and can be associated with:
- the person concerned (past harassment or rape, incestuous experiences, other bad sexual experiences, resistance to sex for moral or religious reasons, anxiety disorders, personality disorders and others);
- partner of this person (relationship problems, sexual disorders of the partner, betrayal, hygiene negligence of the partner and others).
The problem of sexual aversion affects women several times more often than men.
Sexual aversion should not be confused with sexual anhedonia (lack of the ability to feel pleasure from sexual contact) or asexuality (no need to have sex, which does not necessarily involve suffering).
Read more: Asexuality
Treatment of sexual aversion
Treatment of sexual aversion should be planned individually, depending on the degree and source of the problem. Often, treatment requires collaboration with a psychotherapist, sexologist and psychiatrist (who may prescribe anxiolytics). The problem should be consulted with a sexologist who will collect the interview and recommend the best form of treatment.
Read more: Sexologist Warsaw
Author: Michał Kopeć